


Fairy's Till Dawn

by soulmetalfairy



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Wendigos, deadly night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-22 17:51:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 58,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6089029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulmetalfairy/pseuds/soulmetalfairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A year after the death of Jellal's little sisters Melody, and Ultear, he decides to hold a party at his house he owns in the mountains. What no one expected was to find themselves in a fight for their lives atop the mountains snowy peek. If they want to make it through the night they must all stick together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this story I based off a game called Until Dawn. I really loved the game, and thought of making a crossover about it. This first chapter is just prequel stuff, so feel free to skip if you want. if not, then enjoy my story.

The flap of a butterfly’s wing one day could cause a hurricane the next.  
What you choose in life can mean the difference between life, or death.  
Some choices may be good  
While others could be life threatening  
They call this system  
The butterfly effect 

 

On top of a mountain in the middle of the forest sat a lodge. It was secluded from the rest of the world, and only reachable by a ski lift. It was owned by a small family named the Fernandez’s. The parents who owned the place had left it to their three children for a small vacation for a few days. The three children’s names were Jellal, who was the oldest, Ultear, and Melody who were twin sisters.

Jellal had sadly drunken himself to the point of passing out along with one of his friends named Natsu. Ultear had stayed in the kitchen to look over her two charges leaving the others to do whatever they wanted. 

‘’Come on Gray. Put the mask on already.’’ Begged Cana, holding out the monster mask to her friend. ‘’ This isn’t right, and why do I have to do this?’’ The group of friends, Minus the Fernandez clan were planning to prank the innocent one of the three. Which sadly was poor Melody. ‘’ You have to. We already saw her read the note. Now she’s just waiting for the time to come.’’ Said Erza.

‘’ Come on you guys. This is just wrong.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ If we got the kiddie over there into it then it shouldn’t be too bad.’’ Said Loke, pointing to Wendy who was holding a small camera at all the people in the group. ‘’ Look, if you don’t do it then I will.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ No, no. I’ll do it.’’ Muttered Gray, taking the mask from her hands. ‘’ Good. Everyone hide, it’s almost time.’’ 

The group dispersed all around the room. Most hiding in the many closets set up around the room, while Cana and Erza hid under the beds. ‘’ Oh Gray.’’ They could hear Melody's voice just outside the door, begging to come in. ‘’ Come in Melody.’’   
The door creaked open slowly, revealing a head of pink as she walked in the room, holding a candle in one of her hands. ‘’ I got your letter earlier. What is it that you wa….’’ Melody froze in her place as she saw the figure of a man walk out of the shadows. Instead of a normal face though, he had the face of a demon.

Melody dropped the candle in her hands, the wax putting the flame out when it struck the wood at her feet. Her body shook in horror as the creature in front of her began to walk closer to her. Melody let out a loud and shrill scream, turning back to the door she had come in through, and ran out. Sadly though, she didn’t see the others jump out from their hiding spots laughing like maniacs.

 

‘’ Jezz brother. Who knew you could out drink the rest of us.’’ Muttered Melody, setting the empty booze bottle down on the counter. She walked away from the still form when she noticed a paper that was laying on top of an opened envelope. ‘’ Hello there.’’ Ultear reached out and grabbed the letter in her hands. She turned the paper over to read the letter that was written on the other side. 

'Melody. I want you to meet me in my shared room. 2 A.M. come alone.' 

Ultear set the letter down on the counter again, trying to figure out what the letter meant. When she looked back up towards the window she saw a figure run across it outside. '' What the.'' Ultear ran over to her brother and tried to shake him awake from his drunken state. When that didn't work she ran towards the door, grabbing her coat in the process. When she got outside she noticed the others standing there, calling out someone's name.

'' Melody.......... Hey Melody?'' yelled Lucy, staring into the whirling snowflakes of the storm they were in. '' What the hell happened? Where's my sister?'' asked Ultear. '' It was just a little prank. We wanted to see if we could scare your sister and she ran off before we could stop her.'' Explained Erza. '' We're so sorry Ultear.'' Muttered Wendy, playing with the hem of her skirt. '' You jerks!'' Yelled Ultear, picking up a hand full of snow and flinging it at the group. She turned away from the group and began to run towards were Melody had run. '' No Ultear. Wait!'' Yelled Loke. 

She didn't listen to the groups protests as she took off in a full sprint into the woods. She did her best to see through the blinding snow in front of her eyes, but it wasn't helping any. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, turning on the flashlight in it. After jumping from some small ledges and following the footprints left behind by her sister she came to a small clearing. She shone the flashlight around the clearing until it rested on a lump of pink and red laying in the snow. 

'' Melody.'' She saw the lump direct her attention to her own form, shivering out of control. '' U-ulte-er.'' Muttered Melody. '' Oh Melody.'' Ultear ran over to the girl, pulling off her jacket.’’ You must be freezing. Take my coat.’’ Said Ultear.

She reached out to her, taking the coat from her sister as she zipped it up on her own quivering form. ‘’ I can’t believe I fell for a stupid prank.’’ Said Melody, standing with some help from her sister. ‘’ It’s not your fault. Its there’s for pulling the prank in the first place.’’ Said Ultear, flashing her a smile.   
Melody smiled back at her sister for a moment, but stopped when she heard the crack of a branch from nearby. Both girls turned to the sound, trying to see what it was.   
‘’ Ultear.’’  
‘’ Melody.’’  
The two looked back to the source of the sound, seeing flames leaping at the trees as the form of some sort of creature launched at the two. ‘’ RUN MELODY!’’ Yelled Ultear, grabbing her jacket and pulling her along. ‘’ Ultear. What is that thing.’’ Yelled Melody. ‘’ I don’t know.’’ 

The two kept running until the came to what looked like the remains of a downed bridge. '' Stop.’’ Ultear pulled Melody back from the edge to keep her from falling over. They looked down to see if they could jump to safety, but it was way too steep. They looked back to the woods to see the fire stretching further towards them, along with the creature that was moving very fast towards the two. ‘’ Crap.’’ Muttered Ultear.

Melody took a step back towards the edge, losing her footing as she began to fall.   
‘’ ULTEAR!’’ She looked back to see her sister tumble off the ledge, and in a quick ditch effort, grabbed her arm. Her rescue attempt didn’t go as planned as she was pulled over the edge with her. Ultear quickly reached out and grabbed onto one of the roots sticking out from the side of the ledge. The quick thinking stopped the two from falling any further, but Ultear could feel her sisters grip lightening on her. 

‘’ Hold on Melody. Don’t let go.’’ Begged Ultear, tightening the grip she had on her sister’s hand. She looked back up to see fire leaping over the edge like an animal attacking its prey. The fire left as soon as it had come, and soon after a figure reached over the edge. Ultear didn’t know if it was the cause of the fire or the creature she had been chased by. She looked down to her sister, who looked ready for what she thought Ultear was going to do.

Ultear looked back up at the offered hand ready to take it, but couldn’t as the root gave way. The scream of the two teens could be heard resonating off the other surrounding mountains as they fell to the cavern below. Ultear couldn’t yell out to her sister as the back of her head collided with a large boulder. Blood covered the white snow as she tumbled off of it, rolling further into the cavern bellow. The last thing she saw was the body of her twin lying lifeless on the ground next to her. At that moment, her body went cold.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely forgot to make the claims. The story plot line, and the characters don't belong to me. All characters belong to the manga creator, and the plot belongs to the creators of until dawn. without further ado, read on.

Lucy sat towards the back of a rickety old bus, watching the snow fall outside the window as she neared her destination. It had been exactly one year since the incident with Ultear and Melody going missing, and now the gang was getting back together. She had her headphones planted into her ears as she listened to the newscast the radio had playing.

‘It has been a full year since the twin sisters, Ultear and Melody, have gone missing ontop of the mountail owned by the Fernandez family. They had been reported missing the morning after the two sisters had taken off into the night in the middle of the raging snowstorm. I currently have the sheriff sitting here with me. Could you explain what has happened about the search?’’   
‘’ The search was dropped after a few months due to the fact of very little evidence to go off of. By now even if we found anything the girls would be coming home in body ba……’’

Lucy lost the connection when she clicked off of it to look over the message Jellal had sent out to the group. It had been filmed by him so the others could get the message through email incase the phones went dead like they almost always did up here. She pressed the play button.   
The video started off with Jellal trying to fix the camera so it was pointing at his face instead of the floor. '' Ok, I think I'm set.'' Jellal stepped back from the Camera so he was facing it, and began to speak. '' Alright. I would like to start out with just saying that It's a great thing that you guys are coming out here for a few days to do this. I know that my sisters would love it that we're still talking and remembering them after what happened. I know that you guys are going to love this trip. It has been a while since you've all been here, but not much has changed since then. We're going to party like porn stars.'' Jellal smiled at the camera before the video went black.

Lucy smiled at the fact that he seemed more upbeat since the last time they had spoken with him. Jellal hadn't been himself since the incident, and now it looked like he was starting to come to his senses again. She decided to listen to some music after that since she still had another half hour till she reached the ski lift.

 

The driver of the bus stopped at a small trail close to the ski lift. ‘’ Sorry little lady, but this is as far as I can take you for now.’’ Said the bus driver, looking back to where Lucy was sitting. She only nodded in understanding, and stood from her seat to exit the bus. As she climbed out she heard the bus driver say something to her. ‘’ Be careful out there. It’s not safe out here in the woods at night.’’ 

She heard the doors shut as the bus drove off into the night, leaving her alone. Lucy glanced up at the sign placed at the front of the trail. It read ‘Blackwood Pines.’

‘’ Better get going.’’ Muttered Lucy. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and began to make her way up the path. She looked around the path as she went, watching the wildlife around her move through the night. It entertained her slightly as she watched some birds fly through the snow coated trees. When she turned back to the path ahead of her she could make out a large gate blocking the road. 

She made her way up to it and noticed a note placed on it. She picked it up and read over what was written on it. 

‘Gate’s busted. You’ll have to climb over it. From Natsu.’

‘’ Well great.’’ Huffed Lucy, placing the note back where she found it. She decided to try and jiggle the door open at first since she knew that Natsu had a tendency to trick her. Grabbing ahold of the metal bars on the gate she began to push and pull on it, but she couldn’t get the thing to budge at all. ‘’ Plan B.’’ 

She walked over to the little wall the gate was connected to and looked for a safe way to climb up. When she saw a few stray rocks sticking out of it she began to climb. She tried to make sure that her feet and hands were carefully placed since the wall was still covered in snow. Lucy slipped at one point when she placed her foot wrong, but quickly recovered when she reached out for the top of the wall. She hoisted herself up. Sitting on the wall for a moment to catch her breath. When she was sure she was ready to continue she jumped down and continued on.

Sadly though, she never noticed the man following her up the path, holding a Machete in his hand.  
Lucy kept going none the less, stopping to feed a cute little squirrel before she found a weird sign set up on a monument. ‘’ Cool.’’ She read the inscription on the brass plate. 

‘The ancestors of the Indian tribe that use to live atop this mountain use to believe in the luck of the color of a butterfly. The color of its wings could tell you future or what was to come for you later on in life. Red meant danger, black meant death, yellow meant guidance, white meant fortune, and brown meant loss.’

Lucy stood from the ground and Continued down the path. After some more walking she finally made it to the lift. She didn’t see anyone yet so she walked over to what looked like a map that was hanging up nearby. ‘’ That’s just wrong.’’ She noticed that someone had written something very derogatory on the map in the color red. To her it looked like a warning to stay away from the mountain. 

She push the feeling aside and went over to the bench to sit. She saw that Natsu’s bag was sitting there with one of the pockets unzipped. She could make out his phone inside which was buzzing away. She decided to just leave it and hope he came back soon. After some time she thought she should go look for him, but when she stood up she heard something behind her. ‘’ BOO!’’ ‘’AHHH!’’ Lucy jumped and turned back to see Natsu staring at her with a big grin. ‘’ Natsu. You scared me.’’


	3. Chapter 3

‘’ Natsu you jerk. You scared the crap out of me.’’ Said Lucy, stepping back from her friend. ‘’Aw come on. You know me, I had to do it.’’ Said Natsu, grabbing his bag from the bench. ‘’ yeah, sure you did.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ By the way. Your phone’s been buzzing in your pocket there for the past few minutes.’’ Said Lucy, pointing to the open pocket on his bag. ‘’ Oh.’’ He pulled it over his shoulder and reached in to pull out the cell phone. ‘’ Thanks Lucy.’’ Said Natsu. 

She noticed that he was walking in the opposite direction of the door for the lift. '' Uh Natsu, were on earth are you going?'' asked Lucy.'' The Lift is over here.'' '' I know.'' answered Natsu. '' Then where are you walking to?'' asked Lucy.'' I want to show you something cool. It's going to blow your mind.'' said Natsu.'' Whatever you say big guy.''

He began to walk around to the back of the building, passing through a small path along the side. When Lucy looked up to the wall of the building she saw a very old looking wanted poster. It looked like it had jumped right out of an ole western movie for her to see. '' Natsu, come check this out.'' said Lucy. She saw her pink haired friend walk over to where she was standing.

''Yeah. It looks like some kind of wanted poster. I can't make out what it is exactly, or who it's for.'' Said Natsu, turning away from the paper. '' Weird.'' Muttered Lucy.  
She turned away from the poster, walking over to where Natsu was standing. '' What is all of this?'' asked Lucy, looking the make shift shooting range.'' I was bored when I got here and knew it would be a wile till the lift got back. So when I found an old riffle inside I set this up to entertain myself.'' said Natsu. '' You know how to shoot a riffle?'' Said Lucy sarcastically. '' Why yes I do.'' Said Natsu, loading the thing with bullets.

He pointed the riffle at one of the bags hanging from the trees and began to fire. One after another he shot the bags until they all had at least two bullet holes. ''Anyone can shoot at those kind of targets.'' said Lucy. '' Oh yeah. Then try this on for size.'' Said Natsu

He pointed the riffle at the glass bottles set up farther away from the hanging sand bags. He made sure to aim correctly as he shot the first bottle, shattering the thing instantly.

'' Beat that Lucy.'' said Natsu, holding the riffle away from the range. '' Oh yeah. I'm good.'' Natsu danced around like an idiot while Lucy shook her head in amusement. '' Anyone can hit a bottle from this distance.'' said Lucy. '' Oh yeah.'' Natsu pointed the riffle back at the range as a small squirrel crawled onto one of the barrels in front of him. '' Don't shoot the poor squirrel. It doesn't deserve to die.'' Said Lucy. Natsu nodded in understanding and shot the remaining bottles instead. 

'' Alright. Can we get going now.'' asked Lucy, pulling her friend away after he set the riffle down. ''Alright, alright. I'm coming.'' said Natsu, turning in the direction he was being pulled in. He grabbed his bag off the bench as Lucy tried to open the door. '' Hey, why's the door locked?'' asked Lucy, turning to her friend. '' Jellal's been locking it so people can't just use it to get up the mountain.'' 

He pulled something out of his pocket that was revealed as a small silver key. He placed it into the key hole and pushed the door open. After Lucy had entered the room he locked the door once more. '' I'm pretty sure we're the ones that need to go up, so we can go ahead.'' said Natsu. '' It'll be at least a few more minutes, take a look.'' said Lucy. Natsu came over and saw that the lift was farther up the mountain then he had anticipated. ''Oh well. I'm going to look around then.'' 

Natsu turned to the control room and began to search around the different things lining the wall. He saw an old poster hanging up against the wall that dated back to when the mountain still had a hotel and a sanatorium. It was fairly old and the paper looked torn from its age. '' Hard to think this place used to be visited by so many.'' said Natsu.'' I know.'' said Lucy.

He didn't see very much interesting in there other then the video feed that was on what looked like a........ a bathroom. Natsu took a step back, trying to figure out what he was seeing, but before he could tell what it was exactly it changed to a video of the front door of the lodge. He shook his head in confusion before turning back to the door to see the lift had finally arrived. '' Are you coming Natsu.'' Asked Lucy, climbing on the lift. '' Nah. I think I'll catch some z's.'' said Natsu, stretching in a way that made him look tired. 

'' Get on the lift already Natsu.'' said Lucy, patting the spot next to her. '' Right.'' He climbed into the small lift, placing his bag at his feet as the car lurched forward. '' Here we go.'' said Lucy, looking over to Natsu. '' Right.'' said Natsu. The two fell into silence for awhile until Lucy spoke up. 

'' I can't believe we're doing this.'' muttered Lucy. '' What?'' asked Natsu. '' You know. Getting back together on the anniversary. Jellal seemed really pumped about it.'' Said Lucy.'' I agree. I've never seen him so pumped about anything before.'' said Natsu. '' I still don't think its right.'' Muttered Lucy. '' Hey?'' asked Natsu. ''What is it?'' '' Did you ever learn about how jellal and I met?'' asked Natsu. '' No. please fill me in?'' Said Lucy, looking back to her friend.

'' Well, when we were in the third grade I had been sat up at the front of the class, Jellal was sitting at the back.'' said Natsu. '' What does this?'' Natsu cut Lucy off. '' Let me finish. Well the guy sitting next to him was goofing off one day by pulling on a girls bra straps. So when the teacher found out she decided to move me so he could sit at the front. Leaving me to go to the back of the room.'' Said Natsu. '' And this has to do with how you met because?'' asked Lucy

'' Because I got sat right beside Jellal. We hit it off almost immediately. Soon after we became friends.'' explained Natsu. '' I see. thats very interesting.'' said Lucy. '' It's all thanks to that kid that was pulling the girls bra straps. If he hadn't been doing that then I never would've gotten moved to the back of the room. Meaning that I never would've meet Jellal. If none of this never happened then we probably wouldn't be talking right now, or you'd be talking to someone else. Boom. Butterfly effect.'' Said Natsu, motioning with his hands to show an explosion. '' I guess you're right.'' Said Lucy.


	4. Chapter 4

Cana was sitting at the top of the mountain were the lift would stop. She had been asked to keep an eye out for when Lucy and Natsu arrived so she could open the door for them. She had a small piece of paper in her hand with something written on it, but she hid it in her pocket when she heard someone hitting the door. '' Hello.'' said Natsu, seeing Cana finally come into view. '' Open the door Cana, please?'' asked Lucy.

Cana pressed the small green button on the panel near the door as it swung open letting the two out. '' Oh thank god. If I stayed in there any longer I would've gnawed off my own legs.'' Said Natsu sarcastically. '' That's just gross Natsu.'' Said Lucy.'' Hey. I've got a lot of meat on my bones.'' said Natsu. '' Right.'' Muttered Cana. She suddenly felt something leave her pocket as Natsu swiped the paper from her. '' Hey, give that back.'' said Cana trying to snatch the letter back. 

'' Well what so we have here?'' Natsu looked over the letter. '' Oh, would this be letter meant for our dear class representative mister Gray Fulbuster.'' Said Natsu, Waving the letter around in his hand slightly. Cana swiped the paper away from him and quickly returned it to her pocket. '' It's a letter fir him. Since he and Erza split now we're together.'' said Cana. '' I see.'' said Natsu. 

'' Isn't this a beautiful view?'' Everyone turned to were Lucy was standing. '' I wonder why we've never stopped to take it all in before? This view is amazing.'' said Lucy.

 

'' I wish they could've built the lodge right were the cable car ended.'' Muttered Erza, pushing the fenced gate open to get over the small bridge near the lodge. '' I don't think it would've been very pretty if they did that.'' Said Loke, setting down one of the many bags Erza had him carry. '' Where's a bell hop when you need one.'' muttered Erza, grabbing two of the bags off him to help. '' Not here that's for sure.'' said Loke.

The walked across the bridge at a slow pace, but when they reached it they saw someone jump out from their hiding place. ''BOO!'' shouted Gray. Erza and Loke jumped from where they had been standing at the sudden scare they had been given. '' Dammit Gray. You scared us.'' said Erza. '' Oh come on. Gotta get the blood pumping to keep warm don't you.'' said Gray, walking past the two. '' Back off Gray. Were warm a plenty.'' said Loke setting down the bags.

'' Come on. I'm just trying to lighten the mood guys. Someone needs to keep this place from feeling even more creepy then it already is.'' said Gray. She walked past the two to where the trail started back down the mountain. '' It's not like anyone else can keep this place very lively.'' He turned and began to walk back down the path. '' Peace.'' yelled Gray, throwing up a peace sign for the two to see.

'' What's gotten into him?'' Muttered Loke, bending down to pick up the bags. '' No clue.'' said Erza. Loke began to walk ahead until Erza caught his attention. '' Oh, hey Loke. Do you think you could take the bags the rest of the way up?'' asked Erza, turning back to him. 

'' Are you serious Erza. Why do I have to do it?'' asked Loke. '' I'm really sorry, but I promised I'd meet up with Lucy and Natsu when they got up here. Plus I really need to talk to them.'' said Erza. Loke Thought about it for a moment, but spoke up again. '' Erza, I really don't think that you should go back down alone. It's not safe at this hour.'' said Loke, setting the bags down in the snow. '' I'll be fine, it's only a short walk back down the path. Plus if I run into Gray then I'll have some protection.'' said Erza.   
'' I'll go back down with you. We can just leave the bags here until we get back. It's not like anyone's going to steal them all the way up here.'' said Loke, setting the last bag on the snow covered ground. '' You always do this. You always argue with everything that I say. Now please. Just take the bags up to the lodge will you?'' asked Erza. Loke sighed heavily as he grabbed all the bags again. ''Alright then.'' muttered Loke. '' Wait.''

Erza walked over to him and grabbed one of the bags hanging off his shoulder.'' I'll keep this one with me for now.'' said Erza as she walked back down the path. '' See you.'' said Loke, turning in the direction of the lodge and continuing the walk up.

 

Wendy stood atop one of the lookout stations resting around the lodge. She had a hold of the set of binoculars that had been left from where tourists would visit the mountain. She peered into them to look around the snowy slopes around her, but something else caught her attention. '' Woah.'' She focused in on two figures standing further down the path from where she was standing. She could tell that the two are her friends Gray and Erza.

Focusing in a little further, she could make out the motion of what looked like a very active conversation with the two hugging at one point. '' I think those two should check the expiration date on their romance. Gray's going to get it later.'' Muttered Wendy. She saw the two laughing at each other before Gray reached out and stroked her face gently. She pressed her face closer to the lenze. 

'' Those two are really too close for comfort now.'' Said Wendy. She tried to move in closer, but someone jumped up in front of the binoculars. '' Oh god.'' Yelled Wendy, stepping away from the binoculars. '' Got you good didn't I?'' asked Loke. He pulled himself over the ledge of the small look out so he was standing with Wendy. '' Why did you go and do that. It's just uncalled for.'' said Wendy. She tried to punch him in the shoulder, but she couldn't reach due to her small stature. 

'' Like Gray said. Gotta keep the blood pumping when it's this cold out here.'' said Loke, fixing his green parka so he could zip it up. '' What were you looking at anyway?'' asked Loke, walking over to the set of binoculars she had been looking through moments ago. '' Uh Loke. I don't think you should see.'' said Wendy. '' It won't hurt anything.'' He leaned into the object. ''No really. I don't think you should do that.'' He still wouldn't listen to her. Loke zoomed in on the two figures standing bellow them.

'' What the hell. What does he think he's doing.'' Muttered Loke. He pulled away from the binoculars, an expression of anger on his face. '' I told you so.'' Said Wendy. He paced the floor next to her with a hand tangled up in his bright ginger colored hair in frustration. '' Loke, you need to calm down. Mabey they're just catching up on some gossip.'' said Wendy, Grabbing ahold of her friends available arm. 

'' That better be it. Or else Gray's in for it when we get back.'' said Loke. '' We can deal with that later Loke. Come on, let's get back to the lodge.'' said Wendy. She grabbed Loke by his arm and pulled Him away from the binoculars before he could protest any.


	5. Chapter 5

Cana sat on the bench holding a book in her hands. She thought about checking her cell phone at first, but realized that there was no service thanks to the storm. She turned to the page she had left off on and started to read for a while. Not much time had passed before she saw a snowball out of the corner of her eye. '' Woah.'' She dived off to her right as the snowball collided with the wooden wall of the cable car station.

She looked back to the snow that was now stuck on the side of the building. '' Oh. You did not just do that.'' said Cana, standing from the bench. She could make out the form of her new boyfriend Gray come into view from the forest. '' Put them up, we've got you surrounded.'' said Gray. She could sense the sarcasm in his voice when he broke out the old western style of speech. 

'' Who am I to retaliate. Just a poor farm girl lost in the woods.'' said Cana. She stuck her hands up in the air, mimicking the same accent that Gray had used. She glanced over to one of the benches set up nearby and then to her boyfriend. She came up with a quick game plan in her head before she took off towards one of the benches. '' Oh. So you're going to play it that way huh.'' She saw Gray chuck a snowball out of the corner of her eye in her direction.  
Cana expertly dodged the small snowball, not stopping her dash for the bench. '' Beat that Gray.'' said Cana. She made her own snowball and looked up to were Gray was standing. She stood from the ground. '' Hey Gray.'' She saw him try to run away from her shot, but ended up getting by her snowball in the end. Gray grunted as the cold ball of snow hit him dead on in the back. '' Haha. Well then.'' Gray picked up another snow ball and aimed it at Cana. 

He threw the thing in her direction, but she was able to dodge it. '' Zing.'' Yelled Cana. She ducked behind a large fallen loge and began to make more snowballs. '' Come out come out were ever you are. '' Muttered Gray. He saw her head peek out from behind the log and decided to wait for her to attack him. 

As he ducked back behind the tree he was next to he saw a small bird land on the table between him and Cana. He noticed that Cana hadn't attacked yet, probably because of the bird in their way. Gray was proven wrong when she sat up and threw the snowball, hitting the bird dead on. It let out a shrill cry that sounded of despair. 

Cana came out from her hiding place, walking over to where the now dead bird lie in the snow. '' Damn Cana. Why did you kill the poor thing?'' asked Gray. He came out from behind the tree to see her staring at the bird’s corpse in the snow. '' I didn't mean to do it. Poor little birdy. Poor little.... Tweety.... Birdy.'' muttered Cana. Gray walked over to the girl and offered her a hand to her to pull her up off the ground.

'' Nothing we can do about it now.'' said Gray. '' I guess you're right.'' said Cana. '' When am I not right.'' said Gray. Cana looked up to him sarcasticaly before shoving a snow ball into Grays face. He recoiled back from her, wiping the wet snow off his face. '' Got you.'' said Cana. She punched the open air with her arm as Gray looked back up to her. '' Oh. Now you're in for it.'' Gray picked up a handful of snow and was ready to throw it, but something caught his attention. 

'' Cana. Do you hear that?'' asked Gray. '' Yeah.'' The two looked around to see were the noise was coming from. They both recognized the noise to be either cracking glass, or ice. They soon got their answer when Cana looked above Gray. Right above his head sat a very large icicle that looked cracked towards the top of it. She looked down to where it would fall and realized that it would impale Gray. '' Gray. LOOK OUT!'' Yelled Cana. She lunged forward towards her friend, wrapping her arms around his torso. '' Cana!'' She pushed all her weight onto him and pushed the two to safety. Gray didn't understand what she was doing until he saw the large ice shard fall to the ground right where he had been standing only moments ago. '' Woah. What on earth.'' Yelled Gray. '' That thing could've killed us.'' said Cana. She climbed off of her friend and walked over to examine the icicle. '' This is a death trap waiting to happen.'' said Cana. 

'' Let's just get going before something else weird happens.'' said Gray. '' I agree.'' said Cana. The two awkward love bird's turned towards were the trail was located and began to make the track up to the lodge. They decided on the way to keep what had happened to themselves until necessary.

 

 

'' Man sometimes I feel as if the climb gets more and more steep each year.'' Muttered Natsu. '' Doesn't feel like that to me.'' The two friend turned towards were they heard the familiar voice. Standing in front of them was the two teen’s best friend Jellal. He was wearing some of his best winter gear, but wasn't wearing a coat unlike the other two. '' You grew up here man. Probably also the cause that you're not wearing a coat right now as well.'' said Natsu.

'' Okay first things first. I haven't lived here all my life, I come up here during the summer. Second, I just don't get affected by the cold easily.'' said Jellal. He reached out and lightly punched Natsu on the shoulder as he returned the favor. '' Is anybody else here yet?'' asked Lucy. '' Most of us are hear. I think that you guys are the last of the crew.'' said Jellal.

 

'' Are you two coming or what the lodge is this way.'' said Natsu. '' What do you say blonde. Let's get going.'' said Jellal. '' Right.''


	6. Chapter 6

Jellal led the two friend up to the front steps of the lodge were they could make out the forms of their friends Wendy, and Loke. '' Hey there guys.'' said Lucy, waving to the two of them. '' Did you guys have a good hike up here?'' asked Natsu. He set his bag down on the ground next to the steps so he could get the weight off his back. '' More or less. I just wish it was a little warmer.'' said Wendy. '' About the same here. '' Said Loke. 

'' Is something wrong Loke?'' asked Lucy, walking over to her friend. '' I'm fine...... Just a little uneasy.'' Said Loke. She noticed that he had flashed her a look the basicly said ' You don't want to get involved.' '' Wonder what's up with them.'' Muttered Natsu. He followed Jellal up the steps leading to the house, hoping to get inside were it was warmer. '' So Jellal............ Are you doing OK since ............ You know.'' asked Natsu. 

The question must've caught him off gaurd, causing Jellal to drop his keys for the front door. '' Yeah...... Yeah I'm doing fine.'' said Jellal. He bent over to pick up the keys, dusting the snow off them. '' Are you sure. If you still need someone to talk to you know that.'' Jellal turned to Natsu on his heels. '' I'm compleatly fine Natsu. I just want this to be a fun time between all us friends. For my sisters sake.'' Said Jellal. '' Alright then. Let's crack that door open then so we can get started.'' said Natsu, smiling like a dork as Jellal turned back to the door. '' I couldn't agree more Natsu.'' Jellal stuck the key into the lock and tried to turn it, but when he did it wouldn't budge. ''Stupid door. The door's frozen shut.'' Muttered Jellal. He turned back to Natsu who seemed to feel his frustration as he let out a long groan of annoyance. 

'' Is this the only way in?'' asked Natsu. '' No, but all the others are also licked like this one.'' Said Jellal. The two went down the stairs to where the other were. '' Maybe we can try an open window.'' Suggested Natsu. '' Yeah. Good thinking Natsu.'' said Jellal. '' Right.'' The two gave each other a quick high five before turning towards the back of the building. 

'' So. Have you made a move yet.'' asked Jellal. Natsu stopped walking when he knew they were out of ear shot. '' Made a move on what.'' asked Natsu. '' You know. To get Wendy under you wing.'' '' Woah man. Hold up.'' Jellal stopped walking and turned back to where his long time friend stood. '' What. It's true. I've seen the way you two look at each other.'' said Jellal. '' And you expect me to think you haven't tried to make a single move on the girl.'' 

Natsu was astonished at what his friend was saying to him. How could he think this kind of thing. Espesialy when he knew about how old the young bluenet really was. '' Dude. We're not going to date each other. She's only fourteen years old. I'm going to be nineteen in a few more months. Do you see how that could ever work out?'' Asked Natsu. '' Ok. I get it, she's too young.'' said Jellal. '' Exactly''

'' But.'' Interrupted Jellal. '' That doesn't mean she doesn't feel the same way now does it.'' Natsu only shook his head at this. '' Are you even listening bro?'' asked Natsu.'' Just ask her ok. Her parents aren't here to protest it.'' said Jellal. '' Can we just focus on what we're doing so we can get the door open?'' asked Natsu. He walked past his friend and began to make his way around the building. '' Just think about it Natsu. There are no parents up here to boss us around, and there are no rules. You can do whatever you want up here.'' said Jellal. 

Natsu started to contimplate what his friend was saying to him, but soon though other when he remembered she was still much younger. '' Come on man. This could be your chance to fill a young girls dreams. Maybe she's in love with you and now she's waiting for you to make a move.'' said Jellal. '' Maybe you're right, but she's still really young so I leave it up to her.'' said Natsu. '' That's more like it my friend.'' said Jellal. He walked past Natsu and patted him on the back before continuing  
When the two saw the window that lead to the basement Natsu noticed an old box that held an axe. '' Hey Jellal. Maybe we can use this.'' Natsu walked over to the case to examine it more, but when he reached it he realized that it was empty. '' What the hell. Nothing's in there.'' Muttered Natsu. The metal clasps that would have held the axe in place had been pulled out of the case, screw and all. They lay against the bottom of the case, all rusted and ready to fall apart.

'' That old thing's been missing since my parents bought the place. I've just never bothered to replace it.'' Explained Josh. '' Now help me with this thing already.'' Natsu looked up to see what Jellal meant. He saw him trying to pull a crate of something over to the window so they could climb in. '' Oh, right.'' Natsu turned away from the box and Ran over to the crate. He stood on one side with his back to the crate while Jellal had a hold of the other side. '' 1....2....3 Push.'' The two pushed the crate about a foot or two.

'' Damn. This thing is heavy.'' Muttered Natsu through clenched teeth. '' Come on Natsu. Only a little further.'' said Jellal. '' 1...2....3!'' The two pushed the crate again and again until it was under the window. '' Maybe you should just empty the stupid thing so next time it's easier to move.'' said Natsu. '' Can't. Parents have the thing padlocked.'' Said Jellal, pointing to the multicolored lock on the crate. '' You want to go first?'' asked Jellal. '' Sure. Why not.'' said Natsu

Jellal helped Natsu up onto the crate, leaving Natsu to pull him up. Once the two were standing on it they worked together to get the window open. It stuck for a moment or two before it finally clattered open. Natsu stared at the small opening it left for the two to get through, wondering if they could even get through it. '' After you my good sir.'' said Jellal. Natsu noticed that he had bent over with a hand bent out in front of him like a butler waiting for a command. '' Don't mind if I do.'' said Natsu, mimicking the British voice his friend had just used. 

With a final tug he pulled the window open enough to wiggle through it. He hoisted himself up onto the ledge, and dove on in.


	7. Chapter 7

Natsu was able to work his way through the window after a few minutes of struggling. He didn't however check to see how he was going to land once he was through. '' Woah!'' Natsu felt his body fall through the window when he was about half way in, falling to the floor bellow. He landed on his back, groaning in pain as he had the wind knocked out of him. '' You alright down there?'' asked Jellal. Natsu opened his eyes for a moment to see Jellal standing at the window with his head pocking through.

'' Yeah.'' Natsu winced slightly as he tried to sit up slowly. The pain rocketed through his sore back till he was in a sitting position. '' Should've paid more attention in climbing class.'' He muttered. '' You mean gym?'' asked Jellal. '' You know what I meant. With the rope and you have to climb up.'' said Natsu. He stood from the floor with another grunt of pain. 

He looked up to the dim light above him only to see the thing go out. He was quickly snapped back to his senses from the popping noise the bulb made as he looked at it in confusion. '' Uh...... Did I do that?'' asked Natsu. '' Don't know.'' said Jellal. Natsu turned back to his friend who looked generally as confused as he did. '' Generator's probably off and the storm knocked out the rest of the available power. Here, take this.''  
Jellal reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Natsu couldn't tell what it was till the small silver object was flying towards him. When he caught it he realized it was his lighter. Flipping the thing open he turned it on to light up anything that was nearby. '' I don't see how this is much better. Any ways are you coming or what?'' asked Natsu. '' Hold on man. I've got a great idea.''

'' Then please fill me in.'' said Natsu. He turned back to face his friend who looked about ready to explode with his brilliant idea. '' Ok. I think I have some deodorant upstairs in one of the bathrooms. You could use that to help with the lock.'' said Jellal. '' A stick of deodorant won't help any bro. also, I don't know how to get out of the basement in the first place.'' said Natsu.

'' You spray it. It's a can, not a stick.'' said Jellal. Natsus face almost lit up from the nostalgia. '' Yeah. Just like the little army dudes when we were little.'' said Natsu. '' Exactly.'' said Jellal. '' Instant flamethrower. Use it on the door and then.'' '' By buy frozen lock.'' finished Jellal. '' That's a great plan. Now how do I get upstairs?'' asked Natsu. '' There should be a stair case some were over there.'' Natsu saw Jellal point towards something that he couldn't see right now, but hoped that it was the staircase. 

'' Ok then.'' '' So you alright with roaming around in the dark for awhile?'' asked Jellal. Natsu looked back to the dark abyse of what was his friend basement for a moment. It made him feel a little uneasy so he looked back to his friend. '' Sure, but why alone?'' asked Natsu. '' I need to check on the others and see if I can get the generator running.'' Explained Jellal. '' So what do you say?'' Natsu was silent for a moment as he glanced over his shoulder to the darkness behind him. '' Sure thing. As long as something doesn't attack me.'' said Natsu

'' There's nothing down there.'' said Jellal. He shot Natsu an army salute as he said something in a very thick British accent. '' God speed Pilgrim.'' '' And to you to my friend.'' said Natsu. He mimicked the salute before turning away from the window to approach the darkness ahead of him. 

It was hard to see even with the help of the lighter in his hands, but he managed. Walking in the dark was sort of a challenge with the dim light. He ran into an old shelf that was full of yard tools at one point. It was a wonder that the thing was still standing because he could see the thing rock back and forth for a second before resting the way it had been before. ‘’ That was close.’’ Muttered Natsu. He brushed it off and continued towards the stairs.   
He stepped on the first set, causing it to creak loudly. He heard the echo run through the basement and that creped him out enough to cause him to run up the rest of the way to the ground level. He quickly pulled himself back together when he heard the voices of his friends Lucy and Wendy just outside. He couldn’t quite make out what it was they were saying, but he thought it would be a good chance to prank the two girls. Natsu crept towards the door as quietly as he could so the two girls wouldn’t hear him. When he knew he was close enough for them to hear him he set his plan into action. 

‘’ WooOOOAHHhhhh.’’ Yelled Natsu. He heard the two girls gasp in surprise from it, but Lucy knew better as she tried to look through the window. ‘’ Very funny Natsu.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Aw. How did you know it was me?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ You kind of made it a little obvious my friend.’’ Said Wendy. He saw her hopping up and down trying to see through the window since she was too short. ‘’ Besides, shouldn’t you be trying to get the lock open or something?’’ asked Lucy.

‘’ On it guys.’’ Said Natsu. The two saw him turn away from the window as he continued his search for the spray can of deodorant. He knew the girls could wait just a little bit longer so he decided to search the ground floor for a little bit. He didn’t find much other than the stuff he had seen all the other times he had been up here. While he was looking around he had found the home phone line that the family had set up. It looked like it wasn’t working, but it had a message on it.

Being as nosey as he was he had to see what it was, or if it was one of them. He stuck out a finger and pressed the button that played the voice mail. He heard the message that the family had set up if they couldn’t reach the phone at first before a low husky voice began to speak. 

‘’ Hi Miss Fernandez. This is sergeant Tait again. I’m afraid to say that I have some bad news. We’ve gone through every case file we have on the man, but there’s nothing we can do. He’s a free man. We can’t stop his movements as of this time. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but if you want to talk about it some more then send me a call.’’

The line went dead soon after, leaving the long resonating beep to sound through the air that the message was complete. Natsu pressed the button to turn the phone off and turned to the side to see a face down photo. He picked it up and turned it over in his hand to see it was a picture of Jellal and his sisters. It looked like it had been taken about a year ago up here at the lodge. There wasn’t any snow in the background so it must’ve been during the summer when it was taken. Natsu felt his heart sink as he looked at the picture. The three teens looked so happy here, but now all that happiness was gone. Natsu hadn’t even been mentally present when the two sisters had run off into the snow. Both he and Jellal had been drunk off their butts when the prank took place.

It wasn’t until a few hours later when the two friends sobered up that they learned of the events that had transpired the night before. Natsu set the picture down and continued on with his mission. He ran towards the stairs and went up another floor to where the bedrooms and the bathroom was located. 

He went into the bathroom and looked around for a moment. The tub that looked to be at least three timed the size of a normal tub. There were a few cubords pushed up against the wall along with a sink that was right next to them. Natsu walked over to the first set of doors and opened them. His face lifted into a smile when he saw the desired object he had been looking for. ‘’ Jackpot.’’ Muttered Natsu. He reached down to pick up the can, but pulled back in fear as some sort of baby bear or wolf jumped out at him. 

It showed its teeth off to him before running off into the dark house. ‘’ Crud. That was scary.’’ Muttered Natsu. He shook his head in confusion as to why the creature was in there before turning back to the item he had been sent to get. He picked up the can and looked it over for a minute before turning back to the door and heading back to where the girls were waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

It had been about ten minutes since the girls had last seen their friend, and they were getting fairly impatient. Wendy was shivering in her coat that she knew wasn’t going to keep her warm up here. She said that ‘I thought we’d be inside by now and that I wouldn’t need it.’ Look how that turned out. Lucy couldn’t stand to see her friend shiver anymore and was about to give her the coat she was wearing, before a figure caught her attention. 

She looked through the window to see Natsu walking towards the door, can of deodorant and lighter in hand. ‘’ Hurry up Natsu. We’re both turning shades of blue that can’t be healthy.’’ Said Lucy.’’ I’m freezing my butt off Natsu. Hurry.’’ Said Wendy.’’ I’m going. I’m going.’’ Said Natsu. The girls saw a red glow shine across the window for a few seconds before disappearing.

They saw Natsu reach down and quickly pull the door open. He pulled his hand back as quickly as he could trying to keep his hand from burning any further. The two girls ran inside to the warmth of the lodge. ‘’ Thank you thank you. I’ll be here all week.’’ Said Natsu. He took a look at his hand and noticed that it wasn’t blistered yet so he thought it wasn’t too bad. ‘’ Did you burn yourself?’’ asked Wendy. ‘’ No. I’m fine Wendy.’’ Said Natsu. She ignored him and grabbed his hand, causing him to grunt in pain as she toughed the burn.  
‘’ I can help you clean that up.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ How do you know how to do that?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ My mother’s a doctor. Remember.’’ Said Wendy. Suddenly the three friend saw the weird wolf thing dart out the door behind them. ‘’ Woah.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Aww. It’s a little wolverine.’’ Said Lucy.’’ Little.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ It’s harmless. Come on already.’’ Said Wendy. She grabbed her friend’s good hand and led him inside the house.

‘’ I see you got the door open.’’ Said Jellal. He ran up the steps to the front door and ran in before it could shut. ‘’ Did you burn your hand Natsu?’’ asked Jellal. ‘’ Yep. All thanks to hot metal.’’ Muttered Natsu. The four walked into the main room in the lodge which consisted of both floors. The furniture was covered with white sheets and plastic to keep the dirt off it when it wasn’t in use for a long period of time. The fire place was clean of any ashes or dust that could remain from its last use.

‘’ It’s kind of unnerving being back in here for real.’’ Said Natsu. He walked over to one of the chairs nearby and set his back down by it. He sat in the chair as Wendy began to look over his hand. ‘’ It’s a little gross in here, but I guess it could be worse.’’ They looked up to see Erza walk in followed by Loke who was unzipping his green parka. ‘’ I tried to make sure the place was clean, but it wasn’t easy with it being a one man job and all.’’ Said Jellal. 

‘’ It looks fine Jellal. Besides, we’re all friends here. We don’t mind.’’ Said Lucy.’’ Hey there party people.’’ Next in came Cana and Gray. The two were skipping around in excitement and maybe boredom. ‘’ Make yourselves at home guys.’’ Said Jellal, bending over in front of the fireplace to get it started. ‘’ Will do.’’ Said Gray. Lokes face held a scowl as he remembered what he had seen at the lookout post earlier on. ‘’ Yeah. Make yourselves at home. Take a load off. Whatever you want.’’ Said Loke.

‘’ Dude. Are you ok?’’ Asked Gray. He walked over to Loke who still refused to look up at Gray as he spoke. ‘’ What in earth were you doing with Erza?’’ asked Loke. ‘’ I wasn’t doing anything. I just wanted to say hi to an old friend of mine. You know. Give her a hug, stuff like that.’’ Said Gray. Loke didn’t believe his friend, but he knew that for Jellals sake he would have to keep from getting in a fight with him. ‘’ Just watch yourself Gray.’’ Said Loke.

Gray didn’t say anything to Loke after that as he turned towards where Cana was sitting and sat down next to her. Nobody could get over the fact about how awkward the two were as a couple. They all knew it wouldn’t last for much longer at this rate. ‘’ Ow Wendy. Be careful.’’ Said Natsu, pulling his hand back from the girl. He cradled it against his chest for a moment as the young girl stood from the floor. ‘’ Hey Jellal. Where’s the first aid kit in here?’’ asked Wendy. ‘’ Go check the kitchen. I think it’s in there.’’ Said Jellal. He pointed towards an opening to her right, not looking up from what he was doing the whole time. Wendy walked off to find it leaving the group alone. 

‘’ Alright you two.’’ Jellal stood for a moment, completely forgetting the fire place as he turned towards Gray and Cana. ‘’ Are you two ok with taking the extra cabin a little ways up from here?’’ asked Jellal. ‘’ What. No way.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Sure thing.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ NOOOOO!’’ muttered Cana. 

‘’ Come on Cana. It will help us to get the alone time we’ve both really wanted.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Oh…………. Alright then.’’ Said Cana. She stood from her spot on the couch and walked towards the door along with Gray. ‘’ Wait outside for a moment. I’ll get you the keys.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Can do.’’ Said Gray. They were about to open the door when they heard Erza begin to throw a fit. 

‘’ Loke. What the hell did you do with my purse?’’ asked Erza. ‘’ I don’t know. I thought you grabbed it.’’ Said Loke. ‘’ No. I grabbed my backpack. I left my purse with you.’’ Said Erza. Loke let out a frustrated sigh. ‘’ I don’t know where it is Erza. Maybe you just left it at home.’’ Said Loke. ‘’ Can’t you just get over it Erza. It’s just a bag anyway.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ It’s not just a bag. It’s a special purse I bought when on vacation with my family in the Bahamas.’’ Said Erza.

‘’ Yeah. It’s just a bag.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ You want to go at it.’’ Said Erza. Everyone noticed how her demeanor changed from her normal one to a demeanor of threat. Natsu and Lucy began to back away by leaning further back into their chairs. Wendy had turned and walked back into the kitchen, still holding the first aid kit in her hands. Jellal had stood up from the fire to see what the heck was going on. ‘’ Yeah. I’m ready to throw down.’’ Said Cana. 

‘’ Stop it! All of you.’’ Said Jellal. He walked over to the two girls and separated them before picking up where he left off. ‘’ This is not why we came up her. This is not what I wanted.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ If this isn’t going to work out then we should try taking a break from each other.’’ Said Jellal. The look he sent towards Gray and Cana basically yelled for the two to wait outside for him. Gray must had understood as he grabbed the burnets arm and pulled her along.

‘’ Glad that’s over with.’’ Said Loke. He ran a hand through his ginger colored hair before walking over to where Jellal was working on the fire. ‘’ So are you doing ok man?’’ asked Loke. Jellal gave the same answer he had given to the others that had already asked him. ‘’ I’m doing ok.’’ ‘’ That’s good to hear.’’ Said Loke. He turned back to the others to see that Wendy was working on wrapping Natsu’s hand with fresh gauze to protect the burn.

‘’ That should help till you can get some burn cream. I just wish we had some up here.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ No worry’s Wendy. It feels better already.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Well. I don’t know about you guys, but I can hear a hot shower calling my name. I’ll be upstairs.’’ Said Lucy. She waved to her friend before heading towards the stairs. 

‘’ Hey you. I have an idea to pass the time.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Oh yeah. What’s that?’’ asked Wendy. ‘’ I know from past visits that Jellal has a spirit board tucked away some were in the lodge. You want to help me find it so we can have some fun?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ No way. You can go look for that by yourself. I’m staying right here.’’ Said Wendy. She pouted like a little kid and crossed her arms over her chest for good measure. ‘’ alright then. I’ll go by myself. You ok with that Jellal?’’

‘’ Sure Natsu. Knock yourself out.’’ Said Jellal. Natsu hollered in excitement as he stood from his chair and walked over to the staircase that lead to the basement. ‘’ I shall return.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Better go check on the awkward lovers outside.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Be careful.’’ Said Wendy.


	9. Chapter 9

‘’ Gray. How far away is the cabin you were told about?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ It’s a little ways further up the trail. It shouldn’t take us to long to get there.’’ Explained Gray. ‘’ I hope so. I don’t want to spend any more time out here then I have to.’’ Said Cana. She began to walk towards the stairs, but Gray called out for her to stop. 

‘’ Hold up Cana. Jellal still hasn’t given us the Keys.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Hey porn stars.’’ Gray froze at the playful nickname as he turned to see Jellal leaning out the doorway. He was dangling a set of key son his pointer finger, spinning them around like a windmill. ‘’ You’ll need these to get in the cabin.’’ Said Jellal .Gray turned around to face Jellal as he threw the keys at him. Gray just barely caught them before they could hit the snow covered ground beneath them. ‘’ Thanks man.’’ Said Gray. 

‘’ Take care little lovers.’’ Said Jellal. The turned to go their separate ways, but Jellal remembered something at the last second. ‘’ Oh and Gray.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Yeah.’’ ‘’ Make sure you fire up the generator before you start your track up. Its dark out and you’ll need the light.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ We will.’’ Said Gray. He threw one final wave of goodbye at his friend before turning to Cana and beginning the track through the woods. 

‘’ Hold up Gray. We should get a picture together before we leave.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Alright then. If that’s what you want.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Can’t we just get to the cabin. Besides you where the one that was arguing that we should get there as soon as possible.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Picture first. Cabin later.’’ Said Cana. Gray only sighed as he walked over to the girl. He grabbed the offered phone out of her hand as he crouched down to be the same height as her.

‘’ alright then. Say cheese.’’ Said Gray. He heard Cana say ‘’ Cheese’’ as he snapped the photo. ‘’ Let me see.’’ Said Cana. She snatched the phone out of her boyfriend’s hand and took a look at the picture he had snapped. It had turned out very blurry with only her face visible in it. ‘’ Well….. Let’s just say that next time I’ll take the picture. Got it.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Whatever you say.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Now let’s get going already.’’

‘’ Right.’’ Cana handed the flashlight over to Gray as she took the lead down the path. There wasn’t much to look at on the way other than a sign that specifically said that there were to be no tresspassers on the mountain. They kept going none the less, at least until he saw the building the generator was in. He told Cana to hold the flashlight for him as he tried to open the door. He pushed on the door handle for a minute or two but it wouldn’t budge. ‘’ Is it frozen shut?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ Just hold on a secooooo.’’ 

Gray couldn’t finish his sentence as he fell through the door, falling on the cold ground bellow him. The door swung back, and would’ve hit him if Cana hadn’t stopped it in time. ‘’ You ok Gray?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ I’m ok.’’ He answered. Cana helped him stand from the ground as the two walked over to where the generator was located. 

‘’ I hope this thing will start up still. The snow storm may have fried the circuits.’’ Said Gray. Cana held the flashlight above her head so Gray had enough light to see what he was doing. He started by flipping a switch on one side of the generator. It caused the thing to whirl to life as it shook slightly. The last thing he had to do was pull the draw string which wasn’t any different then starting a lawnmower. It took him a few tries until it let out a continuous groan as it whirled to life. 

The lights all around them flew on in a matter of minutes as Cana cheered in delight. Gray only shrugged as Cana patted him on the back. ‘’ You are a wizard Gray Fulbuter.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ All I did was start a generator Cana. It’s not like I brought someone back from the dead.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Well now that we have some light to lead us. Shall we get moving.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Yeah. That would be best.’’ Said Gray.   
They continued down the path a little further until they saw a sign for the cabin. It was pointing towards were there should have been a set of stairs, but instead had a huge boulder in the way. ‘’ Is this a joke?’’ muttered Gray. ‘’ No it’s not. Take a look.’’ Cana pointed to something just above the rock that looked like a set of broken stairs. ‘’ Well that’s just great’’ Muttered Gray. ‘’ Now how are we going to get up to the cabin? The paths blocked.’’ Said Gray. 

‘’ Maybe we can go through here.’’ Said Cana. She began to walk towards a doorway that was carved into the mountain side. It was blocked off by some boards that looked ready to fall apart from age. ‘’ Cana. That’s not a good ide…..’’ Gray couldn’t finish as he saw her lean on the boards. In one swift movement she broke the board from her weight and fell down into the mine shaft. ‘’AHHHHHHHH!’’ Screamed Cana. 

‘’ Cana.’’ Yelled Gray. He ran over to the doorway and tried to look down inside. Cana still had the flashlight on her so he couldn’t see her. ‘’ I’m ok Gray.’’ Said Cana. He saw her pick up the flashlight and shine it up at him. ‘’ And from what I can tell I still have all five on my limbs.’’ Gray chuckled at this. ‘’ Think you can climb out?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ No. Its way too steep for me.’’ Said Cana. 

Gray knew he had to climb down with her to help her find another way out. He sat down on the wooden platform bellow him and swung his legs out. As he jumped down he landed sort of wrong causing him to fall backwards. He wasn’t hurt like the last fall he had taken thankfully, and he was able to regain his composure before Cana had to step in. ‘’ There’s something in the way. I can’t move it on my own.’’ Said Cana. Gray looked at what she was pointing at and saw that it was a mine cart that had been jammed into an opening.

‘’ On the count of three we push it. Ok.’’ Cana nodded in understanding as she positioned herself next to gray against the cart. ‘’ 1….2…..3…. PUSH!’’ The two pushed as hard as they could on the cart which thankfully moved it forward by a few feet. Just enough so he could slip Cana and himself through. Once the two of them were through they began to walk through the old mine shaft. ‘’ Man it’s so creepy down here.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ No one’s been down here for a long time. So of course it would be creepy.’’ Said Gray

It felt like the walls were closing in on them the whole time. There wasn’t very much room for them to stand up straight in there. Gray notices that the shaft dove off into two separate paths. One lead further into the mine, while the other lead to what looked like a living quarters for a miner back when the mines were still in use. ‘’ How on earth are there still remains of candles down here?’’ said Cana. ‘’ Don’t know.’’ Gray stepped forward to take a closer look and noticed that the butt of a used cigar was sitting on top of one of the barrels. It looked like it had recently been used by someone from the way it smoked when he picked it up. 

‘’ This was recently lit.’’ muttered Gray. ‘’ Hey Gray. You might want to take a look at this.’’ Said Cana. He walked over to her to see what she was talking about, and was shocked to say the least. Someone had hung the skull of what they thought to be a dead caribou on the wall. Metal shards shaped like daggers hung from the jaw on small chain links. There were feathers attached to the larger chain that held the skull up. From what they had both learned in history lessons through the years was that those feathers were related to Indians.

‘’ Who the hell could’ve put this up here.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ A miner probably, but even then a miner wouldn’t have built a shrine for something like this.’’ Said Gray. As he turned away from the shrine they both watched as some of the rotting scaffolding above their heads began to fall in. The rotten wood fell to the floor at their feet as the two recoiled to avoid getting hit by it. ‘’ that was close.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Let’s just get out of here already.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Right behind you on that one.’’ Said Gray. 

They started out at a slow pace, keeping an eye out for any rotting wood that could fall on them. But the further they went the more uneasy they felt. It wasn’t until they both heard a scream of either pain or despair that they both broke out into a run. They both could swear that something was following them, but they never found out as they exited the mine into the fresh snowy world they had left moments before.


	10. Chapter 10

Both friends felt relieved when they finally made it out of the mines. They could breathe a short sigh of relief before turning to the road ahead. ‘’ Look there.’’ Said Gray. He pointed towards a bridge that passed over a creek and ended on what looked like the path they had been on beforehand. ‘’ I think we can cross the bridge to get back on the path.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ You may be right.’’ Said Cana. 

Gray decided to take the lead since he currently had the flashlight in his hand. As they walked on they ran into a lookout post not far from the mine exit they had used. Cana jumped all over it as she ran over to take a look through the telescope. ‘’ Let’s see……… I see trees….. The creek…..The cabi…….. Woah.’’ Muttered Cana. ‘’ What’s the matter?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ I think I just saw someone at the cabin.’’ Said Cana.

‘’ What. You’re joking right?’’ ‘’ Take a look for yourself.’’ Cana pulled Gray over to the telescope and pointed it towards the cabin. Gray gave into her begging as he bent down and took a look. He didn’t see anything around the cabin. Although there was a pine tree swaying in the breeze that did resemble what looked like a person hanging from a tree by their arms. ‘’ There’s nothing down there.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ I swear I saw a person though.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Come on. Let’s keep going.’’

Gray pulled Cana away from the telescope so she would follow him towards the bridge. The two of them could swear that the water was higher than it should have been. It was almost at the same level as the bridge itself. Neither of them waited around to see if the water would take it over as they ran over it. Gray could feel just how uneasy they both were. It was floating all around the two of them like a plague waiting to strike. ‘’ Jellal. Are you screwing with us.’’ Gray stopped walking when he saw that there was a huge downed log in the rode. ‘’ He could’ve cleared the road like he cleaned his house. How are we going to get around this?’’ 

‘’ Step aside friend. Let me try.’’ Cana pushed Gray back a few feet as she positioned herself to jump up on the log. She made sure that she was balanced on it before she attempted to stand up to face Gray. ‘’ Hey Gray.’’ Cana bent down to pick up a snow ball as her boyfriend turned to face her. She threw the thing towards him, hitting him smack dab in the face. ‘’ Ah Cana.’’ Gray only heard her laugh as he bent down to get his own snow ball.

‘’ Alright. I see how it is.’’ He stood from the ground to see were Cana was. ‘’ Here comes the thu………… Cana.’’ Gray looked around to try and see were his girlfriend was. She was no longer standing on the log like she was before. ‘’ Cana?’’   
‘’ AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!’’  
‘’ CANA!’’

 

Lucy was bent over the side of the large tub in the bathroom of the lodge. She was trying to get the hot water started which wasn’t going so well. ‘’ Hey Lucy. Think you can help me with this fire?’’ asked Jellal. ‘’ Um… I’m trying to get the shower started.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Oh. Well do I need to help you with that?’’ asked Jellal. ‘’ Hardy har har.’’ Said Lucy. She turned back to the tub and turned the tap which finally let out a long stream of cold water.

‘’ Well I have water at least.’’ Muttered Lucy. She turned the hot water tap and waited for a second to see if the hot water would come out. When she stuck her hand under the running water to check if it was warm she felt ice cold. She pulled her hand back as the icy cold sensation shot up through her arm. ‘’ Jellal. There’s no hot water.’’ Said Lucy. 

She didn’t receive an answer from her friend, causing her to feel a little uneasy. ‘’ Jellal?’’ Lucy stood from the floor of the bathroom, deciding it was ok to just leave her bag sitting near the tub as she made her way towards the stairs. As she made her way down she could hear her friends Jellal and Wendy talking about something. ‘’ Why on earth is Natsu so dead set on using a spirit board?’’ asked Wendy. ‘’ When the two of us were kids, and when we always visited up here over the summer, we would mess around with the spirit board outside.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ You never used it inside the lodge.’’ Said Wendy

‘’ I had looked up some stuff about what would happen if a spirit got attached to the board. The two of us were terrified that if we had one get attached in the house that it would never leave us alone.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ What are you two talking about?’’ Jellal and Wendy turned to see Lucy stepping down from the last step and walking towards them. ‘’ We were talking about Natsu wanting to use the Ouija board.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ What’s the matter Lucy?’’ asked Jellal.

‘’ There’s no hot water.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Alright then. I’ll go help you get the boiler running.’’ Jellal grabbed a flashlight off the nearby table and turned towards the basement door, but stopped when he remembered Wendy was still sitting on the couch. ‘’ You want to come with us little blue.’’ Asked Jellal. Wendy detested the nickname her friend had given her as she pouted. ‘’ No, I’d rather stay here. And please stop calling me ‘little blue’. It’s not a fun nickname.’’ Said Wendy

‘’ Yes it is. You’re little, and your hair is blue.’’ Said Lucy. Wendy didn’t let her pout dissipate, but she did grab a chunk of hair to take a look at the color. ‘’ Lucy. Are you coming or what?’’ asked Jellal.’’ I’m coming.’’ Said Lucy. She waved by to Wendy before taking off towards the basement door. ‘’ The boilers this way. I must’ve forgotten to start it before you guys got here.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ It’s alright. Let’s just go get it started now so you don’t have to do it later.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ And so I can get my shower in peace.’’ She muttered under her breath.

‘’ I heard that Lucy.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ You did.’’ Sighed Lucy. She decided to stay quiet for the rest of the walk down to the boiler. ‘’ Watch your step down here. It’s still really dark even with the flashlight.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ I can handle a few stairs Jellal.’’ Said Lucy. He was right though. It was still dark and she couldn’t see where she was stepping. In the end Jellal had to turn around and flash the light on the stairs for her. 

‘’ Maybe we should try and get the lights back on while we’re out here.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ I seriously dout it.’’ Said Jellal. He walked over to a large boiler that looked as if it hadn’t been turned on in quite a long time. ‘’ Dude. When was the last time you actually used this thing?’’ asked Lucy. ‘’ I’ve been cleaning up hear for about a week. Before that I was staying with my parents. So it’s been a while since the thing’s been on.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ You think the thing will turn on?’’ asked Lucy. ‘’ Let’s find out.’’ Said Jellal. He bent down and began to mess with the gauges and other things attached to it. ‘’ There’s absolutely no water pressure left in the thing.’’ Said Jellal. 

‘’ And you know how to fix that. Right?’’ asked Lucy. ‘’ Yeah. But I’ll need your help.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Ok. What do I have to do?’’ asked Lucy. ‘’ Go over to the pressure box thingy there on your right. There should be a res key on the top left corner. Turn it all the way to the right about 180 degrees and press the white button on the bottom. It should get the pressure to go up enough I can start the boiler.’’ Said Jellal. 

‘’ Ok then.’’ Lucy did exactly as he told her to. She turned the key, she waited for the res light to turn on, and then she pressed the button. The machine sputtered loudly, but didn’t turn on. ‘’ What the heck. It didn’t work.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Just try again. It may just be a little rusty since the last time it was used.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Ok.’’ Lucy tried it again, but this time instead of the machine sputtering it whirled to life. 

‘’ WOHO!’’ shouted Lucy. ‘’ Good job. For a blonde at least.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Like Wendy said earlier. I don’t like nicknames.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Right………. Oh hey Lucy. Check this out.’’ Jellal bent over next to the boiler and pulled out a long wooden bat. ‘’ Dude. Why on earth do you have a bat in your basement?’’ asked Lucy. Jellal only smiled at it before putting the bat back down against it. ‘’ When my parents would bring me and my sisters up here during the summer, we would play baseball outside. You wouldn’t imagine just how many times we’d just try and see how far out we could hit the baseball.’’ Said Jellal. 

Lucy smiled at the fond memory her friend had just shared with her, but that smile soon fell as the thought of what had happened to Ultear and Melody crept into her thoughts. ‘’ I bet that they both enjoyed it so much.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Yeah. They did.’’ Said Jellal. They smiled at each other for a moment before Jellal heard a noise coming from behind him. Lucy jumped at the banging from surprise and fear. ‘’ What was that?’’ whispered Lucy. ‘’ I don’t know. Maybe it was a pipe or something.’’ Said Jellal. They both leaned towards the noise to try and see what it was, when they saw something jump out at them. ‘’ OH GOD!’’ Yelled Lucy. 

‘’ RUN!’’ Yelled Jellal.


	11. Chapter 11

‘’ RUN LUCY!’’ Lucy turned from the masked hooded figure who was now running at her and Jellal. She ran into what looked like an old mattress and thought that it would help to slow down the guy. She turned for a split second to throw the mattress to the ground before returning to her sprinting. The two of them could hear the figure grunt as he threw something he had on him to the ground. 

Lucy looked back to see if they had lost him, but before she could turn back around she had run into Jellals back. Lucy grunted as she came to a stop, quickly pushing herself off him. ‘’ Open the door. Open the door!’’ said Lucy. She ran around Jellal and tried to pull on the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. ‘’ Why is every door locked in this place.’’ Said Lucy, who was still frantically pulling at the door handle. 

‘’ They’re all locked to keep out strangers.’’ Said Jellal. He looked back to where they had come from and saw the guy stop in front of them. His hands were raised high above his head like he was surrendering to them. ‘’ Hey.’’ Lucy and Jellal froze, both turning to get a good look at the intruder. ‘’ What?’’ said Lucy. ‘’ Hey.’’ They figure pulled the dark brown hood of the robe down to reveal none other than Natsu. He was smiling like a little child who had just woken up to presents. 

‘’ Natsu. You jerk.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ Aw come on Lucy. There’s all this crazy movie stuff down here. I couldn’t resist myself.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ That was awesome bro.’’ said Jellal. ‘’ I know right.’’ The two friend high fived each other before turning to the door that Lucy was still trying to open. ‘’ Jellal. The keys.’’ Demanded Lucy. ‘’ Right.’’ Jellal reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys hanging off a key ring and stuck one in the key hole. He turned it and allowed the door to swing open on its own as Lucy stormed off. 

 

Wendy heard her friends coming back up from the basement after some time. In the amount of time they had been gone Erza and Loke had taken off to search the trail for her bag to see if she had left it there. That left the young teen alone in the large living room of the lodge. ‘’ That was so uncalled for Natsu. Why on earth would you do something like that?’’ yelled Lucy. ‘’ It was funny you have to admit.’’ Said Natsu. Wendy couldn’t ignore the constant bickering of her friends so she went to see what was going on. 

Before she reached the stairs she saw Lucy reach the top stair. Her face was flushed from anger and probably embarrassment. ‘’ You’re a jerk Natsu.’’ Said Lucy. Wendy saw her storm off towards the other set of stairs that lead upstairs so she could take her bath, but she stopped when Wendy asked what had happened. 

‘’ Natsu pulled a prank on us while we were in the basement.’’ Said Lucy. ‘’ And what on earth are you wearing Natsu?’’ asked Wendy. He walked up to her and did a sign of the cross in front of her chest. ‘’ I have found my true calling.’’ Said Natsu. He placed his hand in front of his chest as if he was praying. ‘’ Well then. Are you going to take a vow of silence then?’’ asked Wendy. She mimicked the hand motion Natsu had done before watching to see what he did. 

 

Instead of actually saying anything though, he moved his lips around letting not a single sound pass through. Wendy giggled a little at this before returning to another topic she had been wanting to ask him. ‘’ Did you find the spirit board?’’ asked Wendy. Natsu smirked as he reached into his robe and pulled a board of wood out of it.’’ Boi-oi-oi-oing.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Our one way ticket to the spirit realm.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ You guys go do that yourself. The bath is calling my name.’’ said Lucy. She started to run up the stairs, but turned around to holler something at her friends. ‘’ Oh. And don’t get lost to far into the spirit realm.’’   
‘’ Will do.’’ She heard Natsu yell. She only smiled at her friend enthusiasm. Sadly though, that smile wasn’t going to last for much longer. 

 

‘’ Alright then. For this to work you have to free your mind of all preconceptions, drop all inhibitions and generally give yourself to the will of others. Sublimating your every desire to the whims of the spirit master. Which happens to be me.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Natsu. There’s no way that it actually says that.’’ Said Wendy. She heard him chuckle slightly as she lit the last of the candles and turned to the table to sit down.

 

‘’ Oh. I’m deadly serious.’’ Said Natsu. He tried to mimmick a British accent as he placed his hands on his hips. ‘’ Come on Natsu. Let’s get started already.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Right.’’ Natsu reached out towards the board and placed his hands on the board, a little ways away from the pointer. ‘’ Wendy. How about you be our medium for this session?’’ asked Natsu. Wendy only looked down at the board before placing her hands out on it just like Natsu and Jellal had. 

‘’ Alright then. If there’s anyone there. Will you please give us a sign?’’ asked Wendy. They sat there for a moment before placing their hands on the pointer and waited. The minute they all thought nothing would happen the thing started to move. ‘’ Woah… Wendy. Are you doing this?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ I’m not doing anything Natsu. Jellal?’’ ‘’ Not me either. He said. 

‘’ It’s moving again.’’ Said Natsu. They saw the pointer land on four specific letters. ‘’ H….E….L…P?’’ muttered Wendy. ‘’ Help.’’ Mouthed Jellal. ‘’ You should ask the spirit who it is first. If we don’t know who it is then we can’t help.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Ok. Who exactly are you? Why do you need help?’’ asked Wendy

The peace began to move again as it headed to the letter S. ‘’ S…I…S…T…E…… Sister. It said sister.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ Who’s sister?’’ asked Jellal. ‘’ No way.’’ Muttered Natsu. ‘’ Jellal. It has to be one of them.’’ Said Wendy, trying to bring her friend to the obvious that was right in front of them. ‘’ Then which sister is it? I want to know.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Ok then. Ask the spirit Wendy.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ Ok. Who is speaking with us, is’’ Wendy stopped talking as her throat began to close up on her at the thought that it could be one of her best friends. ‘’ is that you….. Melody?’’ asked Wendy.

The piece began to move again. ‘’ Yes. Oh god.’’ Muttered Natsu. ‘’ It’s Melody. This is impossible.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ They’ve been gone for a whole year. It’s not impossible.’’ Said Natsu. They could see that their friend was becoming uneasy and thought that they should stop.’’ Look. If you want to stop we can.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ No. I want to keep going. I can handle it.’’ Said Jellal. The two didn’t argue as Wendy said something. 

‘’ Melody. We……….. We are so sorry for what happened to you and Ultear.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ It was a stupid prank we pulled, and well……… We’re sorry.’’ Said Natsu. It felt so weird to him to say this when he wasn’t even involved in the prank, but in a way he was since he caused Jellal to get drunk which kept him from chasing after his sisters. ‘’ We didn’t know what would happen to you. And we’re just so sorry.’’ Said Wendy. The pointer began to move again.

‘’ B…E…Oh god.’’ Muttered Wendy. ‘’ T….R…A… This is insane.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Y…E….. Betrayed.’’ Finished Natsu. ‘’ No…. It’s moving again.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ K….I….L….L….E…D…. No. No. We didn’t kill them.’’ Wendy began to shake like a leaf in the wind as her eyes began to blur with tears. They began to flow freely down her cheeks as she looked to her two friends. ‘’ I’m so sorry Melody. I am so sorry.’’ Begged Wendy. He body shuddered as she choked back a sob.

‘’ Lest ask how they died. Maybe it can give them some peace of mind.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ OK.’’ Wendy pulled herself together as best she could as she proceeded with the question. ‘’ How sis you die? Melody, can you please tell us?’’ asked Wendy. The pointer moved. ‘’ L….I….B…R.’’ said Wendy. ‘’ The library in here. Maybe there’s something in the library.’’ Said Natsu. ‘’ P….R….’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Proof. It must be there.’’ Said Natsu. 

‘’ Why would there be proof in the library?’’ asked Wendy. Suddenly the board began to shake as the pointer flew up into Jellals face. It hit his forehead before clattering to the ground.


	12. Chapter 12

‘’ Whoa. What the heck just happened.’’ Stuttered Wendy. ‘’ Man. Are you ok Jellal.’’ Yeah. I guess.’’ He answered. He rubbed his forehead slightly as he looked back to the pointer sitting on the ground behind him. ‘’ This isn’t real. This is a bunch of bull.’’ Said Jellal. He stood from his seat and proceeded to leave the room. ‘’ Jellal. It wasn’t a trick. We weren’t manipulating the board.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ I don’t know what to believe. I just need some time. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.’’ 

As he began to walk away he began to mutter to himself. ‘’ Messing with me at this time of the year is not a good idea for anyone.’’ Said Jellal. ‘’ Should we go after him?’’ asked Wendy. Natsu didn’t answer her as he reached out and whipped her face of the stray tears that kept falling. ‘’ Leave him be for now. He’ll come to his sense later.’’ Said Natus. ‘’ We should check out what the spirit said.’’ Said Wendy. ‘’ What?’’ asked Natsu.’’ You know. In the library.’’ Said Wendy. 

 

‘’ AHHHHHHH!’’   
‘’ CANA!’’   
Gray jumped up onto the log that Cana had just moments before been standing on. He looked over the side he thought that she had fallen on, but didn’t see anything. All that was there was some footprints that looked to have been there for a while. ‘’ Cana?’’ He jumped down on the other side and looked around for her. ‘’ Come out Cana. Are you trying to scare me?’’ He didn’t get an answer so he began to search around. He came across a clearing not far away that had a car sitting there. It looked to be at least thirty, maybe fifty years old from the way it was shaped. He walked up to the door to see if she had gone inside to hide. 

‘’ Cana…WHOA!’’ Yelled Gray. He backed away from the car as some sort of wooden mask shot up into the window. It looked almost like the face of a character he had seen in a movie with his friends when he was much younger. ‘’ Who the hell put’s this in a car.’’ Said Gray. He left the thing be as he left to search some were else for Cana. 

‘’ Cana. I swear that I will not kill you if you just come ouAHHHHHHHHHHHH.’’ Gray fell back in the snow as he saw Cana jump out from behind a tree, holding a pair of antlers from a dead caribou to her head. '' What the hell Cana?'' Said Gray. She was laughing uncontrollably as she walked over to a stump were her phone lay in wait. 

'' You should've seen your face Gray. That was so funny.'' said Cana. '' You filmed it?'' asked Gray. '' Yeah. Of course I did. Check it out.'' Cana pulled the video up on her cell and began to show Gray the video of him getting the crap scared out of him. '' You should've seen your face.'' He heard her say on the video. Gray only shrugged as he turned away from Cana and began to walk back up the path. '' Just come on already. It's getting darker and we need to find the cabin.'' said Gray.

'' Oh, this is just the beginning Gray. Because you're about to feal the full force of my mind.'' said Cana. '' Oh yeah. And what is that full force going to do?'' asked Gray. '' You'll see as the night wears by.'' said Cana. '' Right.'' retorted Gray. They kept going further up the path with their ears pealed for any noises that could mean that there's something following them. After what had happened when they had fallen into the mines they wanted to keep an eye out. 

Gray did hear something at one point in their hike up the path, but it turned out to be just a caribou. Which also just about ran the two of them over when it jumped on the path. '' Hey look there Gray.'' said Cana. '' It looks like one of the sheds for the lodge.'' said Gray. They walked over to it and examined the outer structure which was beginning to collapse in. '' Do you think it would kill me if I tried to drink teh creak water. I'm dying oof thirst right now.'' said Cana. '' I wouldn't do that.'' said Gray.

He walked closer to the shed and took a look at some stuff that was set up just outside the building on an old wooden table. Most of the stuff was rusted tools that looked to be a few years old at the least. The one thing that caught his eye was a broken gas mask sitting right in front. He grabbed it and began to examine the features on it. The lens on one side was cracked with some of the glass missing from it. 

It looked almost ready to fall apart in his hands as he held it up in the air, but knew what it meant he could do. ‘’ Sweat revenge.’’ Muttered Gray. He looked over to see that Cana was bent over looking in the creek next to the shed. He slowly walked over to her as he held the mask up to his face. When he was close enough he began to growl like a wild animal. 

It rose from a growl to a mear shriek as Cana screamed out in fear. ‘’ AHHHHHHHHH!’’ She turned enough to see just who it was before her footing on the edge of the creek fell away. Her body fell into the icy water below causing her to panic. She stood as fast as she could and climbed out onto the side of the bank. ‘’ Gray. What the hell.’’ She stood from the snowy ground as quickly as she could and felt the icy chill of the wind bite right through her clothes. 

Her body shuddered from the cold air around her as she jumped around to try and get warm again. ‘’ Calm down Cana. It can’t be that cold.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Have you ever fallen into freezing water and then jumped out to be in cold wind?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ Well………. No.’’ said Gray. She continued to shiver as she took off up the path. ‘’ Hold up Cana. You can take my jacket to stay warm.’’ 

Gray ran up to the soaking wet girl and ripped off her water logged coat. She turned to face him to see why he had taken her jacket, but was met with the warmth of a large jacket being draped over her shoulders. It just about reached her knees as it settled onto her shoulders. She pulled it closer to herself to try and ward off the cold. '' Thank you Gray.'' Said Cana.

'' No problem. Cow come on.'' Gray kept a hold of Cana's jacket thinking they could dry it by the fire he would no dout have to set up. The furhter they got up the path, the more they came to notice that there was some kind of noise up ahead of them. It sounded inhuman to the two of them. '' Gray. What is that?'' asked Cana. '' I don't know. Maybe an animal or something.'' said Gray.  
They kept going none the less until a snapping sound was heard. Following the snapping noise came a cry of pain that also didn't sound human. The two of them looked at each other for a split second before running towards the noise. When they reached the area where they had heard the noise their stomachs dropped to the point of almost making them sick. There was an almost dead caribou laying across a small log in front of them. It had long and large cuts in its neck that were bleeding and somehow smoking as it they were singed.

'' This is horrible.'' said Cana. She bent down by the creature to try and comfort, but it tried to thrash around when she laid a hand on its head. '' Watch out Cana.'' said Gray. '' What are you going to do Gray?'' asked Cana. All he gave her for an answer was a look that said ' it has to be done.' Cana only stepped aside and let Gray step up to the creature to get a good look at the wound. It looked more and more like it had been done deliberately to get their attention, but he didn't care. '' Ok little guy. This is going to be quick.''

Gray grabbed a hold of the antlers on the caribou and began to pull. It surprised him when he only used a little force and the head of the creature flew right off. '' OH MY GOD!'' yelled Cana. Blood splattered the snow beneath them as Gray let the head fall to the ground. '' It came off. It came off. What the hell it came off.'' said Gray. He looked back down to the creature that was now dead only to see it be yanked into the woods in front of them. '' RUN!.'' Yelled Cana.

She grabbed Grays arm and pulled him in the other direction of the scene. '' GO GO GO!'' Yelled Gray. They started running up the path towards what the y both hoped was the cabin. They could hear something running up behind them as they ran. Not wanting ot know who or what it was they both picked up the pace. After some time running they saw the structure of the cabin come into view. 

'' In there. Get in the cabin!'' yelled Gray. They ran up the stairs towards the door as Gray searched frantically through his pocked for the key. When he felt his finger brush against the cold metal he felt his heart leap into his throat. He pulled at the metal piece and shoved it into the door. He turned it quickly and watched as the door swung open. ‘’ Get inside. QUICKLY!’’ Yelled Gray. Cana didn’t waste any time as she ran inside followed by Gray who locked the door behind himself.


	13. Chapter 13

Gray turned his back to the large wooden door of the cabin. His heart was beating uncontrollably out of his chest as he slid down to the floor. Cana was bent over with both her hands laying on her knees. The coat Gray had given her not long before had since fallen to the floor from her shoulders. Her breath was uneven as it came out of her throat in sharp gasps. 

‘’ What the hell was that Gray?’’ asked Cana. Gray didn’t respond as he stood from the ground slowly. He swallowed slightly as he looked back to her. ‘’ I…. I don’t know what it was Cana. Whatever it was it didn’t want us to get away.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Was it a thing, or one of our friends trying to pull a prank?’’ muttered Cana. ‘’ No clue, but that doesn’t explain what it was that chased us out of the mines earlier.’’ Said Gray. 

Gray walked over to Cana and picked his coat up off the floor and laid it across the couch in the middle of the room. Cana walked over to it and sat down next to it, being careful not to sit on it in the process. As Gray began to look around for the fuse box Cana began to feel around in her pockets for her cellphone. She felt around for a moment or two before realizing that the object was nowhere in her pockets. ‘’ Crap.’’ Muttered Cana. ‘’ What’s the matter.’’ Asked Gray. ‘’ It’s gone. I could swear that I had it on me.’’ Said Cana. She stood from the couch and looked up under the couch before standing to see Gray looking down at her. ‘’ What did you lose Cana?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ My phone Sherlock.’’ Said Cana. 

She walked over to the nearby window and looked outside to the snow covered porch to see that the only thing there was the set of footprints they had left in their mad dash for the cabin. ‘’ Did you have it in your coat pocket?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ No. It was in my pants pocket.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Just keep looking. I’ll see if I can get the fire started.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ I’ll wait till we have some light so I can see what I’m doing.’’ Said Cana. 

‘’ Alright then.’’ Said Gray. He began to make his way around the house to find the fuse box. He found it sitting against the wall near the fireplace. ‘’ Well that was easy.’’ Muttered Gray. He opened the metal casing on the front to get to the fuses on the inside and began to look them over to see which one he needed. ‘’ Will you please hurry up Gray? It’s freezing in here.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ I’m going Cana. This thing isn’t easy to see even with a flashlight.’’ Said Gray

He grabbed the fuse that looked like it would turn on the power for the cabin and flipped it upwards. The lights inside came on for a split second before a shower of sparks flew out of the fuse box. The lights made a popping noise as they flashed off quickly as the sparks flew at Gray. ‘’ AHHH!’’ Screamed Cana. She covered her head in fear as the sparks fell to the floor. Gray backed away, watching the sparks fall to the wooden floor. He expected for them to start a fire, but when nothing happened he let out a sigh of relief.

‘’ That was close.’’ Sighed Gray. ‘’ Tell me about it.’’ Said Cana. She looked back up to Gray to see him trying to flip the switch again, but this time nothing was happening. ‘’ Great. Now we don’t have power.’’ Muttered Cana. ‘’ Are you blaming me Cana?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ No. Its Jellals fault for not making sure the power would work up here.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ No matter how good a friend he is, I would have to agree with you on that.’’ Said Gray. Cana only smiled as she watched Gray walk back over to the couch. 

‘’ I’m going to look around the cabin for any candles or matches we can start the fire with. I’ll be back in a few minutes.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ What about the heat. It’s still freezing cold.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ Use my jacket for now. I’ll grab a blanket when I come back.’’ Said Gray. Cana didn’t argue with that as she grabbed the offered clothing off the couch and wrapped herself in it. ‘’ I’ll be back in a few minutes.’’ Said Gray. He waved at Cana before walking towards one of the rooms towards the back of the cabin. He soon realized that there were about three rooms in total in the cabin. There was the one he was currently walking through, a bedroom off to one side of the cabin, and a bathroom across from that. Other than that the place was basically small. 

He started out by going onto the bathroom to see if the cabinets had any flashlights or candles in it. When he went inside the first thing he noticed was that the curtain for the shower was drawn over. It completely blocked his view from looking inside to see if it was empty. It made him very uneasy while he looked for the supplies he needed. When he finally couldn’t handle it anymore he walked over to the curtain to pull it over. He gripped the plastic material in his hands and proceeded to tug it open. 

When he did the curtain pulled free of the clips holding it up as it came down on top of Gray. ‘’ What the heck.’’ It covered his eyes and when he tried to turn away from the shower to get it off he fell into it. ‘’ Get it off of me. Get it off.’’ Muttered Gray. He threw the thing off his head as fast as he could and tried to climb out of the tub. He looked back at the plastic which was now lying motionless inside of the tub. 

‘’ Gray, what the hell was that?’’ He cringed slightly when he remembered that Cana must’ve heard him when he screamed out. ‘’ Uh………… Yeah. Just peachy.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Ok then.’’ Said Cana. Gray let out a sigh when he didn’t hear her question why he had screamed. After recollecting his thoughts for a moment he continued to look around for the supplies. Yet after looking all over, the only things he found were a few small candles, firewood stored in the back, and an electric lantern that runs on batteries. 

Gray returned to the living room were Cana was still sitting in wait for him. She was visibly shivering slightly since her clothes were still soaking wet from when she had fallen into the river. ‘’ I got you a blanket Cana. There are still some more in the bedroom if you need another.’’ Said Gray. She turned back to him to see the blanket being thrown in her direction. She caught it expertly as she wrapped it around her body. ‘’ Thanks.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ No problem.’’ Said Gray. He set the candles and the lantern down next to the fire place as he proceeded to start it.

After a moment of placing the fire wood and finding some matches he had a small fire started for the two of them. Within about five, or ten minutes it had grown to a strong blaze that kept the two of them fairly warm. 

‘’ There. That should keep us warm for a few hours.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ Yeah.’’ Muttered Cana. Gray noticed that she didn’t seem as spunky or upbeat like she normally was. He took a seat on the couch next to her and turned to face her. ‘’ Are you ok Cana. You seem a little down.’’ Said Gray. She only sighed as she looked away from Gray to look at the window. ‘’ Cana?’’ ‘’ It’s about what happened earlier. I feel as if we’re being watched.’’ Said Cana.’’ That, and I really need some booze.’’ Said Cana.

Gray had almost forgotten how she loved to be able to drink who knows how much alcohol and could hold it down like a pro. It didn’t help that all the other kids in their larger than life group liked to drink as well. ‘’ Well if you had told me earlier then I could’ve grabbed some before we left the lodge. Said Gray. ‘’ I know, but it totally slipped my mind as well. That doesn’t happen unless something bad is going to happen.’’ Said Cana.

‘’ That’s not true Cana. We’re completely safe in the cabin.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ I know that, but it’s almost like an internal warning system for me.’’ Said Cana. ‘’ You know what I mean?’’ In all truth though, he didn’t. He didn’t know about something like that, or if it was even possible. He had heard of some people getting headaches before it storms, but not getting the creeps after being chased by what they both thought was an animal. 

Gray didn’t respond as he stood from the couch. When he turned back to see Cana she was laying down on it, her knees pulled up to her chest to help keep herself warm. Gray looked away and walked over towards the window to close the shudders. If it would help to soothe her frantic mind then he’d do it. As he shut the wooden shudders he happened to look over to see a black barrel sticking out of a wooden casing next to the door. When he reached out to pull it free he realized that it was a riffle. It wasn’t loaded, but on closer inspection he found a few rounds of amo sitting on the bottom of the casing. 

Gray loaded the weapon and placed it back into the case, not wanting to scare Cana or freak her out about a loaded weapon being present in the room with them. Gray wandered over to the back of the couch so he was standing behind Cana. He reached a hand down to lay it on her shoulder as Cana reached up and laid hers over it. ‘’ You going to be ok Cana?’’ asked Gray. ‘’ I will be once I can get some sleep or out of this creep hole.’’ Said Cana. Gray only smiled at her comment before walking around the front of the couch to bend down at eye level to her. He was about to lean forward to kiss her, but stopped when they heard a crashing noise from the back of the cabin. Cana jumped at the noise before sitting up strait on the couch. Gray turned in the direction she was facing to try and see what it was that caused the noise. 

‘’ What was that Gray?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ I don’t know. Let me check it out.’’ Gray stood from the floor and grabbed the lantern from the floor. ‘’ Stay here. Ok.’’ Said Gray. Cana only nodded as she watched Gray walk off into the darkness surrounding her. Gray walked back towards the bedroom where he thought the noise had come from. He opened the wooden door, listening to the hinges creek loudly in the silence around him. 

‘’ Creepy.’’ Muttered Gray. The noise set into his thoughts making him think the worst like as if an animal had broken into the cabin. When he held out the lantern to see what the noise was he saw that the window on the far wall was broken. The glass was laying sprawled out all over the floor and the bed with a white object laying in the middle of it. When he approached the item to see what it was he realized that it was Cana’s lost phone. ‘’ Did you find out what it was?’’ asked Cana. ‘’ Yeah. It’s your phone.’’ Said Gray. ‘’ What?!’’ Cana bolted into the room after Gray. 

She snatched the item out of his hand as she looked over the somehow unharmed item. ‘’ That it.’’ Cana threw the item onto the bed as she stalked towards one of the doors. She threw it open and looked around at the darkness lingering in the forest. ‘’ Hey! I know you’re out there! You better stop it right now, or else you’ll all be in for it when the nights done and over with! You better believe it!’’ Yelled Cana. 

She stalked into the cabin again, quickly throwing the door shut behind her as she leaned against it. ‘’ Give me a break.’’ Fumed Cana. She looked over to see Gray standing against the wall. She only threw him a quick smile before proceeding to walk over to him. When she tried however she only heard the crashing sound of breaking glass coming from behind her. Something large and cold wrapped around the back of her head, gripping a handful of her brown hair as it hoisted her up into the window. 

‘’ AHHHHHHHHH! NO PLEASE!’’ Yelled Cana. ‘’ ‘’ NO. CANA!’’ Yelled Gray. ‘’ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!’’ The last thing he saw of her was her panicked expression as she was pulled through the broken window.


	14. Chapter 14

Natsu stood from the table were their séance had just taken place. He seemed a little reluctant to be following the advice of a spirit they couldn’t even prove was real. He looked over to where Wendy was standing near the door. She was holding one of the candles they had lit in her hand while all the others had been put out by now. 

‘’ Do you really think that Ultear and Melody were trying to communicate with us?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ I don’t know if I should hope it was them or not?’’ answered Wendy. She turned towards the staircase and began to walk down to the second floor with Natsu not far behind her. ‘’ Jellal seemed to be really freaked out after that didn’t he?’’ said Natsu. ‘’ Yeah. He looked like he was keeping it together, but…..’’ Wendy fell silent for a moment before speaking up as she stepped down from the final stair. 

‘’ Do you think we shouldn’t have mentioned his sisters?’’ ‘’ It’s why we came back up here in the first place. I don’t see why it was a bad thing per say.’’ Answered Natsu. ‘’ Yeah, but we never said we were going to try and have a séance to try and communicate with them. I really think we’ve gone too far after that.’’ Said Wendy. As she walked further into the library she found a door that was on the far end of the room. When she went over to try and open it though, it wouldn’t budge. ‘’ Aw man. The dumb things locked.’’ Said Wendy.  
‘’ We’ll keep looking. That’s probably not what the spirit meant in the first place anyway.’’ Said Natsu. Wendy nodded and continued her search until something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. When she walked over to examine it she saw that it was a metal grate laying over some boards that were parted by about a half a centimeter. There was a yellow light emerging from the cracks, but she couldn’t see anything in particular inside. ‘’ Weird.’’ Muttered Wendy.

She placed the metal grate back on the ground and stood to walk back over to Natsu, but stopped when she saw what was happening. Books were flying off the shelves slamming into Natsu’s back. ‘’ Natsu!’’ She ran over to her friend as the books ceased their falling. Natsu groaned in pain slightly as she looked him over. ‘’ Are you ok? Anything broken?’’ asked Wendy. ‘’ I’m ok Wendy.’’ Said Natsu. He flashed her both a thumbs up and a smile that caused her to smile as well. Before she looked back towards something that was behind him. 

‘’ What’s the matter Wendy?’’ asked Natsu. ‘’ Behind you. On the shelf.’’ Said Wendy. Natsu turned around and looked up onto the shelf to see that there was a small silver button sitting on the back of the case. '' It's a button.'' said Natsu. '' Why is there a button on the back of a book case. It doesn't make sense.'' said Wendy. '' Well I guess we'll have to press it to find out why now won't we?'' said Natsu. He reached up to press it, but heard Wendy whimper like as if she was afraid of it. '' Don't worry Wendy. I'll protect you if anything comes out of there.'' said Natsu. Wendy only nodded in response as he turned back to the shelf.

He pressed the small button and pulled back as the case began to pull away from the wall. It opened almost like a door as it stopped about halfway from its origional place to the wall. '' It opened up to a passage way. Whoa man.............. Explosions.'' muttered Natsu. '' Can you please take this serious Natsu. Why on earth is there a secret doorway in a lodge of all places?'' said Wendy. '' Let's go find out. Come on Wendy.'' 

Natsu grabbed the candle off of Wendy in one hand while he wrapped the other around her much smaller one. Wendy flinched ever so slightly at the touch before realizing that he was dragging her into the room with him. Natsu walked over to a small table near the far side of the room were a small picture of some sorts sat. '' Hold on a second.'' Natsu held out an arm to keep Wendy from seeing what it was as he reached out for the photo. It was a picture of both Ultear and Melody standing in front of their old high school. Melody had the brightest smile on her face, but Ultear seemed sort of sullen or upset from the puffy eyed look her face held.

'' Uh Wendy. I don't want to freak you out, but you should really see this.'' said Natsu. '' Let me see?'' Wendy reached out to the offered photo and looked at the picture. She smiled slightly at the fond memory of it, but that smile fell when she turned it over. On the back of the photo, written in bright red........... Was it blood? The writing seemed scrawled on there as if someone was in a hurry to write it done. The writing said.

I will take them and bleed them like pigs and rip their soft white skin off! 16 Years. 16 Years I waited for pretty little Mellody and Ultear.

Wendy's face grew into one of horror as she handed the picture back to Natsu to let him read it. His face grew into the same thing as he placed it back on the table before turning back to face Wendy. '' That was what the ghost wanted us to find?'' said Wendy. '' It must be a clue or something. Whatever it is it's really creepy.'' said Natsu. '' Not just creepy Natsu. We have to tell Jellal right now.'' Wendy ran out of the room and started to walk towards the kitchen.

Natsu wasn't too far behind her since he still had a hold of the candle that provided them with the light they needed to see. As they were walking they heard some sort of creaking noise coming from one of the nearby rooms. Wendy jumped a little as she ran back to Natsu. He chuckled when he noticed that she was holding onto his arm like a lost puppy. '' What was that?'' asked Wendy. '' I don't know, but we don't want to stick around to find out now do we?'' said Natsu. Wendy didn't respond as they continued on.

The two stayed quiet for the longest time until Natsu finally spoke up. '' You know. I've been thinking.'' he said. '' About what?'' asked Wendy. '' Well.'' Natsu stopped walking, ans turned to face Wendy. '' Before I came up here, Lucy and I found a wanted poster. I t was like..... Full out western style.'' said Natsu. '' So?'' Wendy was starting to get a bad fealing about what he was about to say. '' And to top that off. Lucy said that it felt as if someone was following her on her way up to the lift.'' said Natsu.

'' So........ So what? You're saying that there's some kind of criminal out loose and on the mountain with us?'' said Wendy. Natsu sighed at the fact that she didn't seem to believe him yet. So he proceeded to tell her about the message he had heard on the voicemail. '' Wendy. There was a message.......... On this answering machine I found and it- it was from this sergeant guy saying that there was this guy who had just gotten out of prison and that there was nothing he could do to hold the dude.'' said Natsu.  
'' What do you mean?'' asked Wendy. '' He was saying it like.... like a warning.'' Wendy's eyes widened as she took a step back from Natsu. She didn't want to believe what he was telling her. '' Wendy. Maybe that's the whoever was down in the basement before.'' said Natsu '' What?!'' '' Remember, under those floorboard you found when in the library.'' said Natsu. '' There was that guy that I told you about. Remember.'' '' Wait a minute. What guy?'' asked Wendy. '' The guy that threatened Jellal and his family.'' said Natsu. '' he said he wanted to take revenge by burning the whole place down. And then we found that crazy psycho letter!'' 

'' Natsu. if this is your way of trying to scare me then you're in for it when we get off this frozen mountain peak.'' said Wendy. Suddenly the doors leading into the kitchen began to bang around. It was as if someone was trying to get out, but it was locked from the other side. They could hear someone screaming on the other side of the door, and immediately recognized the voice as belonging to their friend Jellal. '' That's Jellal!'' 

Wendy ran over to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. When she finally got the thing to move though, she saw a large hand wrap around her arm as she was pulled into the door. '' WENDY!'' Natsu ran forward as the door shut on him. He tried to open it, but it was locked. '' Hold on Wendy!'' Natsu could hear her grunting in pain and knew he had to hurry if he wanted to save her. He had no other choice so he began to hit the door with his shoulders. '' I'm coming Wendy!'' 

After about three tries the door swung open. Natsu grunted in pain as he smacked the floor with full force. His head collided with the tile floor as he saw Wendy fall to the ground. He felt around the floor for the candle and saw it only a few feet away from him. He stood from the floor on shaky legs as he tried to walk towards Wendy. When he took the first step however, the only thing he saw was a world of black and white as a metal object collided with the front of his forehead. Natsu grunted in pain as the floor flew up to him at a very fast speed. The last thing he saw before blacking out all together was Wendy's motionless body being lifted off the ground and into the arms of some sort of psycho.


	15. Chapter 15

'' AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!''  
'' NO! CANA!''  
Gray stood frozen were he stood, staring at the gaping hole in the window from were Cana had just been pulled through. He knew he had to do something, or else that thing would kill her. He remembered the gun he had found a little while earlier was still hanging against the wall in its casing. So as he ran out the door, completely forgetting his jacket in the process, he grabbed the gun and the lantern and began the chase.

There wasn't much to go on as to where she was being taken. Even with the snow blanketing the ground around them he couldn't find very many footprints in it. So he trusted his head and took off in the direction he had seen her go when she was pulled through the window. '' CANA!'' Gray didn't receive an answer and immediately began to run into the woods, completely forgetting his jacket in the process.

The further he went the more he realized that he was running out of path to run on. He would either have to jump the river or avert himself back to the original path. When he finally reached the river bank he saw that there were a few metal barrels laying in it, and they stretched all the way across the river. '' Here goes nothing.'' Gray decided to jump the barrels as he began to run at them. He leaped out as far as he could go, almost missing the slippery surface of the metal as he landed with a thud. After making sure he still had his footing he jumped the last three before stepping off onto the bank of the river. 

The minute his feet hit the bank he was running again. He quickly found the path again, but lost it as it fell into a ravine that was very steep for him to climb down. '' Damn. Where is she?'' Gray grabbed the gun off his back and held it out in front of himself. He placed the butt of the gun against his shoulder like a riffle, and peered through the telescope attached to the top of it. He couldn't see very well through it which made him feel even more helpless to save Cana.

He was about to put it down to keep running, but stopped when he saw movement to the right of where he was looking. When he looked over his heart skipped a beat as he laid his eyes on the panicking form of Cana. She was crawling away from something that was standing just out of his line of view. He could hear her screaming something, which he soon realized was his own name. '' CANA!'' He saw her look in his direction for a split second before turning to the figure behind herself. He saw, and heard her scream out in fear as her body began to move across the snow again. 

'' NO CANA!'' '' GRAY. HELP ME!'' Gray was forced to watch as Cana was dragged out of his eye sight through the snow. '' Crap.'' He threw the riffle over his back, using the strap to hold it onto his shoulder as he looked for a way to get to her. In the end he chose to jump down to get to her. He grabbed the lantern off the ground and took a quick breath of air before jumping down. The minute his back hit the edge of the drop off he let the lantern go. '' Oh crap.'' He reached out for anything that he could get a hold of to stop his fall. 

When he noticed a tree branch coming up just below him he reached out to it and grabbed a hold with all his strength. His body jerked slightly as his motion was stopped dead where he was. He hung there for a minute, looking down to see if the ground was close enough for him to let go. He could make out the lantern only a few feet away from him which was a good sign. So he let go of the branch.

After grabbing the lantern and dogging a few fallen limbs he saw yet another ravine.'' I don't have time for this.'' Gray took another deep breath and jumped over the thing. When he landed he almost lost his balance, but got it back pretty quickly when he heard a scream come from in front of him. He took off towards what looked like an old abandoned building. It was common to find them up there since it was a resort at one point. Gray heard Cana scream again and began to move. He could see a platform a few feet down from where he currently stood. So he jumped for the third time that night.

The fall caused him to hit the wooded platform pretty hard, but he still didn't stop. He had to rescue Cana, no matter what it took. He ran into the building the platform was attached to and ran down the stairs to the main floor. '' GRAY HELP ME PLEASE!'' Screamed Cana. '' I'M COMING CANA!'' Yelled Gray. He glanced around with the lantern held out in front of him. He couldn't see a thing in front of himself anymore. It was pitch black in this building, and he had no clue where he was going.

After a minute or two of looking around he found a staircase that lead somewhere underground. He didn't waste any time, and began to descend the stairs. Cana's screams for help were growing weaker and weaker as he went. Either he was getting farther away from her, or she was in trouble far worse then he hoped. He found a cavern leading down into what he hopped wasn't going to be her grave, and began to run down. 

As he went he realized that the cry's of pain his friend had been giving minutes before had died down. There was silence except for the sound of his boots hitting the ground below him. The minute his ears heard a sickening thud he was in a sprint. What he saw after that would scare him for years to come.

Cana was laying on what looked like an old elevator shaft, were all that was left of it was a metal grate. Her body was covered in blood and bruises from whatever would he could see. There were three very distinct marks across her chest which looked very deep and painful. Her face was covered in gashes and bruises, as well as a long cut that went from the edge of her lips up to her cheek. '' No. CANA!'' 

Gray fell to his knees next to her, noticing that her chest wasn't moving from what he could see. He thought the worst had become of hid friend, until he saw her chest jerk upwards. He looked at her face and saw her look up at him with glassy eyes.'' Cana.'' '' Gray. Help me.'' She reached out to him with what strength she had left in her very injured body as he did the same. Sadly though, before they could even touch there was a groaning sound from above as the metal grate Cana was laying on gave way. She didn't even scream as her body fell into the deep cavern below them.  
'' Cana!'' Gray heard more groaning from above, and in a split second was thrown back as metal came crashing down from above him. It completely blocked off the hole. '' No.'' Gray tried to see down into it, but stopped when something above him began to move. '' What the.'' He grabbed the gun on his back and aimed towards the ceiling. When he saw a shadow stretch across the ceiling he wasted no time in shooting at the thing. 

He made three shots before declaring that the thing was either dead, or badly injured. He turned to a walkway that was near the elevator shaft and decided that it would be best to try and follow the thing if it tried to escape. He ran onto the thing realizing that the fallen debris had taken out a section of the walkway. Gray didn't waste any time in jumping yet again, making the jump for at least the fourth time that night.

When he stood back up he saw that there was a doorway ahead of him, but there was something in the way. He couldn't make out who, or what it was, but knew that it wasn't friendly. He reached for the gun again and heal it out to shoot. He was ready to pull the trigger, but when he did the gun jammed up. '' Dammit.'' cursed Gray.

He crept forward towards the door, and in a split second saw as something began to fall from the ceiling. It was going to block off the door. Gray broke into a sprint and went to dive under the door. '' I'm going to make it.'' He told himself. In the blink of an eye he was rolling around in the snow as the door slammed shut behind him. He shook the snow off his shoulders as he stood on shaky legs. His mind was in another place after what he had just seen happen to Cana, but he knew he had to warn the others unless they wanted to meet the same fate. 

He found an old lantern nearby, and luckily it still had some oil left inside. He remembered that he still had an old lighter on him, and quickly reached into his pocket to grab it. After making sure the lamp was lit properly he began back down the path. The snow was being picked up in the howling wind. It was blowing in his face, and he tried to block it the best that he could. Even with the lantern held out in front of him he couldn't see very well. Thankfully the wind died down after a few moments, and he could see the form of some sort of building coming into view. 

'' What on earth is that?'' Gray squinted his eyes to get a better look, but could only make out a few lights stationed around the building. As well as a figure that was making his way up the path to the building.


	16. Chapter 16

Natsu's eyes opened slowly as he finally began to come to. His head throbbed painfully as a hand slowly moved up to feel the area he had been hit in the head. It was warm to the touch, but when he pulled his hand away there was a little bit of blood left on his fingers. '' What the....... Ugh..... My head.'' Natsu saw that there was a flashlight still sitting in front of him. He grabbed the handle with his other hand, and tried to push himself off the floor.

He stumbled for a moment, having to grab a hold of the counter to his right so he wouldn't fall over. He could remember that he and Wendy had heard a noise coming from the kitchen, and they had tried to investigate. Wendy had been pulled inside while he was locked out. Then when he got in he was knocked out, she was laying on the ground................ and now she's gone. 

'' WENDY!'' Natsu was now fully aware of what was going on around him. There was no one else with him. Jellal was gone, as well as Wendy. He shone the flashlight around the room trying to see if there was anything nearby he could use as a clue. Soon the beam of the light fell on a small object laying in a small pool of blood. '' Oh no.'' Natsu crept over to it, and bent down to see what it was. He reached out and picked up what he realized was a small wallet of sorts. 

He turned it over in his hand, and almost lost it there when he saw the embroidered name on the front. The name '' WENDY'' was embroidered in large white letters on the front of it. '' This isn't good.'' Muttered Natsu. He stuffed the thing in the pocket on his jacket and stood back up from the floor. He tried to walk in one direction, but the creeking of a door nearby stopped him dead in his tracks. 

He looked over to see that one of the doors that lead further into the lodge had opened on its own. He slowly approached the door, not sure what he would fine. Soon a dark splattered liquid came into view on the wall. He shone the flashlight on it and soon realized it was blood. Natsu backed away from it in fear as to who's blood it could be. '' This isn't real. This can't be Wendy's blood.'' He muttered. Natsu shook his head back and forth to try and clear it of the thought that were now swarming through his mind.

' She's not dead. She can't be. She's going to be just fine.' He kept telling himself. He turned down the hall and soon came across the front door. There was a little bit of blood there as well, which meant that the person that had knocked them out had taken them outside. Natsu knew that Wendy didn't have her coat or her extra jacked, which meant that she was would be freezing. Natsu grabbed his extra coat and ran out into the snow. 

He was surprised when he saw that there was no blood in the snow around him. That left him with no clue as to where she could be. '' Wendy!'' He flashed the light around to see if she was for any reason laying in the snow. He was met with nothing, and decided to go further up the path. There was a very uneasy felling starting to settle in his stomach. He felt like someone was watching his every move as he searched for a dear friend. 

His heart almost leapt out of his chest when he saw that there was a very small pool of blood formed on the ground. It had turned the snow a crimson color and spread out in all directions. He glanced up from it and saw that the pool had a train leading away from it. It lead up the path towards an area that he knew he hadn't been to before. Jellal had never shown him what was up this path in his past visit. Natsu knew he had to trust his gut, so he took a deap breath and stepped past the puddle. 

He followed the crimson path as it waned down to only a few drops here and there. It soon lead him to a large shed like building. It looked run down like most of the stuff was up here. '' Wendy!'' Natsu still didn't receive an answer, so he pressed forward. The door to the shed opened easily allowing him access inside. There where chains hanging all around him from the ceiling. They clanged together slightly as a winter breeze blew through the parted, and rotting boards of the wall. 

'' WENDY!'' Yelled Natsu. He didn't hear anything for a moment, but soon heard a soft cry of fear coming from somewhere inside. '' Wendy!'' '' Natsu!'' He felt his heart beat quicken a she now knew that she was here, but she didn't knew where. '' Wendy. Where are you?'' asked Natsu. '' I... I don't know. Natsu please help me?'' Pleaded Wendy. He could hear the desperation in her voice, and knew that he had to hurry. 

'' Keep talking to me Wendy. What happened to you?'' asked Natsu. '' I don't know. He tied me up. I can't move.'' she cried. He heard more sobbing on his right and ran over to it, but when he did a panel on the wall fell away to reveal a dimly lit room. He could make out that there were two figures inside the room chained to a board. Wendy was one of the figures there. She was pulled up so high on the board that her feet were almost three feet off the ground. To her left was his friend Jellal. His head was hung downwards due to the fact that he still hadn't come to. He could still touch the ground beneath them at least.

'' Wendy!'' Natsu ran towards the opening, but when he reached it he realized that a fence was blocking him off from reaching his friends. The lights flashed on all at once illuminating the two friends hanging in front of him. From what he could see they both didn't have any injury's he could see. Then............ what was with all the blood?   
'' Hello friends. I see that young Natsu Dragneel has finally arrived to save the day.''  
Natsu looked up at the sound of the deep voice. He couldn't tell who the voice belonged to, or where it was coming from. Wendy began to shake around in her chains as the lights above a large object in front of her and Jellal turned on. She screamed in terror as the lights lit up a large saw blade sitting on a track that branched off towards either her, or Jellal. '' Jellal! Jellal, please wake up!'' She yelled. Her friend shifted in his own bonds before snapping his head upwards to see what had just made her scream.

'' What the hell. Where are we?''   
'' Don't worry my friends. At least one of you shall make it.''  
Wendy looked back to Natsu who was staring at the two of them through the fence in front of him. His expression was one of shock and terror for his friends and himself. '' Natsu, Please get us out of here!'' pleaded Wendy. '' Ok. Calm down. We can get out of here Wendy!" said Jellal.   
'' I wouldn't be so sure about that.''  
The saw blade began to spin at a very fast speed making a metal whirling noise that echoed off the walls. Wendy screamed again as she tried to break free of the chains holding her up. '' Oh crap. Oh crap. This isn't happening, this isn't happening.'' said Natsu as he tried to tell himself that none of this was real.  
'' Oh this is very real Natsu. And now I leave you with a choice. You have the choice to save one of your friends. Now chose to save either Wendy, or Jellal.''  
The message seemed to send the two captives in to a panic as they both struggled with their bonds. '' Natsu. Please get us out of here?'' Yelled Jellal. '' Natsu, you can't let us die!'' yelled Wendy. '' Oh man. What do I do?'' Muttered Natsu. He paced the floor around teh handle that had appeared in front of him. If he turned it one way he would save Wendy, a young 13 year old who still had her whole life ahead of her. If he turned it the other way, then he'd be saving his best friend since third grade, who had also lost both his sisters to a stupid prank.

He couldn't choose. He couldn't just let one of his friends just die. He just couldn't do it even if it would save his own life. '' I.............I c-can't decide.'' He admitted.   
'' Oh you can't. Well then. Lets force your hand then.''  
The saw blade began to move forward.  
'' If you don't chose now, then they both die by my hands.''  
'' NO!'' Natsu reached forward and grabbed the handle. '' Please forgive me.'' He closed his eyes as he forced the lever down over the picture of Jellal.  
'' I see. You have chosen to save.......... Wendy Marvel.''


	17. Chapter 17

The saw took a right turn as it began to approach Jellal. '' NO! NATSU WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!'' yelled Jellal. '' Natsu!'' '' Oh crap. Oh crap. I can't believe this.'' Natsu gripped at his pink locks in frustration and anger at himself. He was letting his best friend get ripped apart by a saw blade. '' WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS. I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!'' Yelled Jellal. He suddenly let out a blood curdling scream as the saw was not a foot away from his mid section.

'' STOP! THIS IS MADNESS!'' Yelled Natsu. '' AHHHHHH...... NATSU!'' Wendy shrieked as Jellal let out another blood curdling scream. Wendy looked away as something warm began to splash onto her hip. Natsu screamed loudly as the saw passed through his friends body. His legs and hip section hit the ground with a wet and sickening slap. '' Natsu! What just happened!'' yelled Wendy. 

'' W-Wendy. Just d-don't look Wendy. Don't look.'' Natsu saw a door that he didn't realize was there pop open to his right. He immediately ran to it and entered the room. He could see that Jellal was indeed dead. One section of his body still attached to the chains, while the other lay on the floor bleeding out. The saw was still running, scraping against the little bit of body that still touched it. '' Natsu why can't I look? Is he going to be alright?!'' Yelled Wendy

'' I'm going to get you down ok.'' Natsu had to peal his eyes away from Jellals dead body to focus on getting Wendy out in one piece. The chains came away fairly easily as her shaking, blood soaked body fell into his arms. He set her on the ground and tried to get her to stand, but when she did she opened her eyes. They rested on the dead body of the once best friend they both knew as Jellal. ''NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'' She screamed. '' Come on Wendy we have to go.'' Natsu shielded her eyes with his scarf and began to lead her out of the building. 

The minute they both stepped out into the snow, Wendy's body began to shiver from the cold. It didn't help any that the only thing she had on when she was taken from the lodge was her green strapless dress. He remembered that he still had his extra coat under his arm, and quickly threw it over her shoulders to keep her warm. As they made their way down the path they saw two figures come into view. He couldn't tell if it was the same person that had gotten the two of them at first, but the minute he saw heads of bright orange and red hair he knew who it was.

Natsu suddenly felt very week in the knees. All the adrenaline and energy he had just a moment before was gone. '' Natsu?'' Wendy felt the warm arm fall away from her shaking form as he fell to his knees beside her. '' Erza. Look.'' Natsu heard the two friends run up to them and stop. '' Natsu. Hey are you ok man?'' Asked Loke. 

Natsu felt his stomach lurched as visions of what had just happened began to fill his vision. He clapped a hand over his mouth as his stomach lurched again as it tried to empty its contents. '' Whoa. Hey, take it easy man.'' Loke watched as Natsu struggled to try and retain himself from throwing up in front of his friends. '' He killed him.'' Sobbed Wendy. '' What. Wait. Who killed who?'' asked Erza. '' Some crazy psycho. He....'' Natsu gagged again as he doubled over again. This time his stomach really did empty its contents. Loke didn't move from his spot next to his friend. He instead placed a hand on his back to steady him. 

'' Natsu. Where's Jellal?'' Asked Loke. He dodn't answer as a sob racke dhis quivering body. '' Natsu?'' He forced me to kill him. It was either him, or Wendy.'' Said Natsu. '' What!'' said Erza. She looked down to Wendy who was sobbing quietly into her hands. She knew now were the blood had come from. It was Jellals. '' He forced me to kill him. There was a saw blade, and it.... it tore right through him. It tore him apa......'' Natsu couldn't finish as his stomach took another dangerous lurch as more contents emptied his stomach. Loke rubbed his back soothingly as he looked up to Erza with worried eyes. 

'' This is insane. We need to find the others.'' said Loke. '' Were though. Gray and Cana are off in the middle of nowhere, and Lucy, well we don't know where she is at this point.'' said Erza. '' S-she's back in the lodge. I left her there when I left to find Wendy and Jellal.'' Stuttered Natsu. '' We need to go get her. Do you think you can stand Natsu?'' asked Loke. He shook his head slightly as Loke put a hand under his arm and tried to help him up. '' Ok. Up we go.'' Natsu was wobbly on his feet still, and had to lean on him for support. '' We need to call for help. If there's a psycho up here then we need to get a hold of the authorities.'' said Erza. '' I agree, but we can't just leave them here.'' said Loke. 

'' Don't worry about us.'' Loke looked over to Natsu who was still gripping his stomach slightly. '' We'll go get Lucy. You guys go get some help.'' said Natsu. '' Are you sure Natsu. You can barely stand on your own.'' said Loke. Natsu didn't respond, and tried to push away from Loke so he could prove that he could stand. '' I'll be fine, but we need to get some help.'' said Natsu. '' Ok then. We will meet you at the lift once you've gotten Lucy.'' said Erza. '' Right. Come on Wendy, let's go.''

 

 

After an hour of climbing Gray had reached what he believed to be the old sanitorium. He was currently peering over a large wall where on the other side sat a man with what looked like to dogs, or maybe even wolves. One of them had white fur while the other one was all black. The man was very short in stature, but never saw him as he lead the animals into the buildning. Gray chose this as his chance to get in unnoticed. 

He placed the lantern on the top of the wall a little ways away from himself as he rubbed his hands together. He looked for the safest place to grab before doing so and pulled himself up. Once he was on top of the wall he grabbed the lantern and carefully jumped down into a snow drift bellow to break his fall. 

When he saw that the cost was clear he ran for the closest entrance to the building. Which turned out to be a window when he discovered that the door was locked. He pulled the thing open as quietly as he could before peering inside. He let his legs dangle over teh side for a moment before jumping down to the landing below. Once he got back to his feat he noticed that the room was fairy empty except for a metal walkway above his head. There was no way to get up to it, and he wasn't tall enough to jump. Gray took a quick look around himself, and quickly spotted a metal barrel a few feet away from him. '' Jackpot.'' He muttered. He set the lantern on the barrel and pushed it towards the walkway. When he thought that it was close enough for him to reach it he jumped on top of the barrel. 

He threw the lantern carefully up onto the walkway before he threw his arm up to grip the cold metal surface. It was a little difficult to pull himself up, but after a few minutes he was standing on the walkway with the lantern back in hand. He started to walk down the thing, looking for any way that it could take him up further into the building. It would seem that luck was finally on his side tonight as he came across a large hole in the floor above him. He peered through it to make sure there was no danger before hoisting himself up through it. 

There was a door towards his left that lead into the room he would've been able to enter if the front door had been unlocked. He saw that there was a slide on the door so people could either see in on him, or out towards the main hall. Gray approached it when he noticed that the person from before was standing there with the dogs. He was holding out what looked like a bone for the two of them, and they took it without question. He tried to lean in to get a better look, but the floor beneath his feat creaked. The figure, and his pets, turned to the hole just as Gray pulled away so they couldn't see him. 

H e waited for a moment just to make sure that they weren't looking before looking back through the hole. The room was now completely empty. Gray took this as his chance, and opened the door. It was a fairly large room, but he didn't have time to look around. He had to figure out what was going on, and find the others to warn them. He turned to the right and began to make his way down that hall. Before he entered it he found a golden plated plaque mounted on the wall to his right. The letters were warn from age, but Gray could still make out what it said.

'' The Blackwood Pines Sanatorium. Opened 1922. Men's sana in corpore sano.''   
Gray didn't know what the last part meant so he just ignored it and pressed forward. Deeper into the old Sanatorium.


	18. Chapter 18

Gray took a right after entering the hallway when he saw that there was a morgue in the building. He really didn't understand why there would be a morgue in a sanatorium, but he didn't question the matter for too long when he discovered an old newspaper sitting on a desk nearby. He carefully picked it up, being gentle only because of the condition the paper was in from its age. He turned it over to read what was printed on the other side. 

'' Charter assaulted on Blackwood Mountain. Intriguing.'' muttered Gray. He set the paper down, and turned to exit the room. He continued down the hall for a while until a howling sound pulled him away from his search. He could tell that it wasn't human, but at the same time it wasn't animal either. It sounded almost alien to his ears. Gray felt his heart begin to beet faster and faster as the noise got a little louder than before. He had to get away from this place. It wasn't safe here. 

Gray sped up his pace little by little. Moving as fast as his legs would let him until he came to a dead end in the hallway. Thankfully there was another room on his right which he quickly entered. The minute he did the noise began to subside. It began slowly at first until it just stopped all together. Gray let out a deep breath that he didn't even know he was holding as he opened his eyes to take a look around the room 

It was basically empty like most of the other rooms he had been inside of. Except for a few empty desks and tables. Papers were sprawled out on one of the desks half hazardly, as if someone was in a hurry to find something. They were covered in dust though, which meant they had been sitting there for quite some time now. He reached for the first one on the top and turned it over in his hands to read what it said.

Twelve miners were retrieved from the mines relatively healthy. The older men suffered from respiratory problems which was common for men their age. They were held for an extra 24 hour period for observation.

 

'' Well this isn't very helpful.'' muttered Gray. He set the paper back down on the table, and turned to leave through the door on the far right side of the room. It lead to a set of stairs which he began to descend before walking into a large hall. There was a metal door on his right that had something sitting in it. When he got closer he realized that it was a table sticking out from the doorway. Gray grabbed the door and pulled it as hard as he could. The thing was pretty heavy, but not a problem for him. The table was coated in what looked like some sort of decaying meat.

'' Gross. This is just sick.'' mumbled Gray. He held the lantern up and saw that there was something sticking out of the table. The light shone off the metal surface of what Gray thought to be an old, and very used, machete. It was sticking out of a small pile of the decaying meat, which he now learned stunk really badly. '' God, this is nasty.'' Gray grabbed the handle of the machete and pulled on it. It came free pretty easily, thankfully with none of the meat stuck to it. Gray looked the blade up and down, asking himself why someone would want to leave it somewhere it could be found easily. He didn't really care that much about it. He now had a weapon, but no way to hold it. 

He found a solution to that pretty soon as well. There was a scabard sitting near one of the legs of the table. He quickly grabbed it and strapped it onto his waist before sticking the machete into it. He was almost set to go, but stopped when he saw a shadow run across the wall. The shadow was in the shape of one of the wolves the man from before had with him. As much as the shadow creped him out he knew he had to keep going. He decided to follow the shadow and see where it lead him. In the end it lead him to a room that was empty except for what looked to be operation tables and................. what on earth was that?

There was a table of sorts in the middle of the room with a hand on it. It swung back and forth slowly as if it would hypnotize you. Gray didn't know what it was, or if it was a trap to get him. So he grabbed a metal bar from off the floor before inching closer towards it. He watched for a moment or two as the hand just sat there, decaying and swinging. The flesh didn't even have any color to it anymore, but it looked so real. Gray stuck the bar into the hand, and watched as a bear trap sprung forward and grabbed the bar in the strong metal teeth.

'' Whoa. Glad I didn't touch that thing.'' muttered Gray. He turned away from the trap and looked around the room for a second. '' Eeny...... Meeny...... Miney..... Moh........ I don't know where the hell to go....... Great.'' He said. He walked past the table towards a set of shelves along the far wall. It had all kinds of jars filled with............ are those skulls. '' Who the hell puts human skulls in jars.'' mumbled Gray. He looked over the rest of the jars which wither had a human skull in it, or another kind of body part that he couldn't identify. 

When he turned the corner from the shelves he saw a large set of what looked like coolers you'd find in a morgue. To the right of those was a large metal door, which Gray soon learned needed a key card to open up. '' Just great. Where the hell am I going to find a key card?'' His eyes wandered back over to the coolers behind him for a moment. Maybe there would be one in there. It was the only thing he could think of for the time being, so he approached the coolers. 

He opened the closest one to him first, and only found a small tag that would've been tied to a body. It stated how the patient had died.   
'' Attacked by inmate. Fatal lacerations to the neck.''  
Gray heard a thumping noise coming from one of the coolers causing him to lose his grip on the tag as it fell on the floor. He turned to the farthest cooler where the noise had originated from, and began to approach it. When he opened the one he thought the noise was coming from he only found what looked to be a blanket, and a death certificate. 

He couldn't make out what was written on the front of it, but when he turned it over he could read what someone had scrawled on the back.   
'' Body was not discovered until 6-8 hours after death. Sections of the intestine, and kidney's were apparently eaten by the attacker.''  
Gray cringed at the thought of someone eating another person. Dead or alive, they are still people, and it is still considered cannibalism. He set the paper back down as he walked over to the one that had made the one that had made the sound from before. 

He slowly opened the door and pulled the tray out. What he discovered was not only the thing he had been looking for, but also a dead corpse. The lips from the body had completely eroded away, showing off the aged teeth inside. The skin was a yellowish gray color, while the eyes were a milky white. '' Oh god.......... This is all kinds of messed up.'' It became even worse when he saw a mouse crawl out of the corpses mouth. It landed on the floor and scurried away. 

Gray turned his attention away from the body, and the runaway mouse, to focus on the thing he had to use to get out of here. The light green key card, which sat on the corpses chest. He quickly plucked the thing from the clothing that was still present and closed the cooler door. He couldn't stand to look at that anymore, thinking that that could be Cana if she was dead in that mine shaft. 

He ran back to the door with the key card in hand as he held the lantern up to see where the slide was for it. He quickly found it, and stuck the card inside as the red light on the front turned green. He opened the door to teh dark passageway before taking the key card back out of the slide. He may need that later on if he needed back in the building for any reason. As he walked through the hall he passed a few beds that were moth eaten and dusty from the years of non use, as well as some old wheel chairs. 

He soon found a set of stairs, and began to climb up the flights. It was about the time that he reached the second story that he heard a continuous growling sound comming from behind him. He turned to see what it was and came face to face with a large white wolf. It was bearing it's teeth at him, and growling dangerously as it approached him. '' Ok..... Easy doggy. Nice doggy.'' The dog lunged at him as it began to bark loudly. '' Ok! DOG'S NOT SO NICE AFTER ALL!''


	19. Chapter 19

Gray bounded up the rest of the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him. The dog was right on his heals running almost faster than he was. Soon he reached the top of the stairs and saw it stretch out into a long hallway. He began to run down the corridors, not daring to look back for fear that it would cause him to stop on impulse. He took many turns as he ran, hearing the dog get closer and closer. He had hoped that the dog would get lost, or tired, but he knew just how long a dog could go without having to stop. 

He was running out of hallway. There was a dead end up ahead of him that went into an unmarked room. It was his only choice at this point. He ran into the room, and immediately turned around and shut the door as fast as he could. It caused a loud banging sound to echo off the walls around him as he locked it. The dog barked and growled at the door as it hit the door full force. Gray could finally breathe a sigh of relief as he sunk down against a wall for a moment. He closed his eyes for a second as he took in breath after breath of air. When he opened them again he took notice of a large window of sorts sitting in front of him.   
'' What?'' Gray climbed back to his feet and slowly walked over to it. It looked down into the room where he had seen that man before with the dogs. He brushed it off quickly as he turned to find another staircase on the other side of the wall from where he had been sitting moments before. He began to walk down them one at a time. The fatigue from not having any sleep yet was starting to catch up with him. It didn't help any that he soon realized that he had run out of stairs and would have to jump down from there. Thankfully it wasn't too long of a fall. So he went for it the minute he had the chance. 

He was now back in the room where he had started this whole endeavor. He found the door that he had been spying through a little while before and learned that it had a key card for it. Good thing he had kept the one from a while ago. He slid the card into the puncher and it clicked as the door swung open. He was about to enter the room, but was immediately stopped as the large white dog from before jumped out at him with beard teeth. '' WHOA!'' Gray watched as the dog began to creep up on him.

'' Easy boy. Just take it easy.'' Gray watched as the dog stared at him for a moment or two before turning in a circle, and sitting on the ground close to him. '' Good boy.'' Gray slowly crept away from the dog towards a fenced area at his right. He saw a jacket was hanging up on the fence and immediately took it. He threw his arms through the sleeves as he wrapped the thing around him. Sure he was used to the cold, but even someone like him would need a jacket from time to time. He looked into the fenced area and saw that there was a pistol sitting on the wooden table, but it was on the farthest side from him.

Gray tried to reach it with his bare hands, but his arms weren't long enough to reach it. That's when he remembered that he still had the machete with him. He pulled it out of the holder and pushed it through the hole with his free arm. After almost five minutes of struggling the pistol was in arms reach if him. He scooped up the weapon in his hand and brought it back through the hole. '' Nice.'' muttered Gray. He stuck the thing in one of the many pockets on his jacket as he turned to face the make shift living quarters behind him.

He saw what looked like some old arm chairs that were warn beyond use anymore. Aw well as an old couch. There was a barrel that was currently holding what looked like a box of cigars on top of it. The cigars looked like the one he had found in the mines with Cana when they had fallen in. He thought it was very suspicious, but knew he had to move on. He could see a chest of sorts just out of the corner of his eye, and decided to investigate. When he opened it he found what he hoped to be animal bones. He held one of them in his hand for a moment, contemplating whether he should give one to the dog or not.   
In the end he decided to give it to the dog. He walked back to where the dog was sitting and held the bone out to him. '' Come here little guy.'' said Gray. He whistled to get the dogs attention. The dog looked up to him, then to the bone before walking over to him. He took the bone from Grays hand into his mouth. '' Good boy.'' Gray held out his empty hand as he brought it up to the dogs head and began to pet the creature. The dog pulled away after a moment and took off into the shadows. 

Gray stood from the floor with the lantern still in his hands and began to walk on. He walked for a while until he found another fenced in area, He could see that there was a padlock on the gate for it. Gray remembered that he had gotten a pistol from earlier, and decided to shoot the lock. He held the gun out to the lock and pulled the trigger. The lock busted, but it also sent sparks onto the floor near his feet. 

Gray realized to late that the floor was coated in a flammable liquid from a leaking barrel nearby. '' Oh crap!'' Gray ran past the gate and turned in time to see the barrel, along with at least three others explode. The shockwave from the explosion blew him back a few feet, causing him to hit his head off the wall. The last thing he saw was the smoke from the fire ragging towards him as his whole world fell into darkness. 

 

 

 

Loke and Erza had managed to find their way back down to the lift once they had made sure that Natsu and Wendy where safely in the lodge. '' I can't believe that he's.............. that he's dead.'' Muttered Erza. '' I know. I can't imagine it either myself.'' said Loke. '' I feel as if I've just lost a family member right in front of my eyes. Even though I didn't see it.'' said Erza. '' You and Jellal were god friends growing up. It's understandable that you are upset about it.'' said Loke. He suddenly held out a hand to stop Erza from going further.

'' What's the matter?'' asked Erza. '' Look there.'' Loke pointed to the wall next to the door, which had a large tree axe sticking out of it. '' An axe. What is it doing there?'' asked Erza. '' Don't know, but it may come in handy later.'' said Loke. He walked up to the door and pulled the axe free if the wall. It would be a better weapon then having nothing at all. '' This isn't good.'' said Erza. 

'' What is it?'' Loke walked over to Erza who was pressing the button to the door over and over again. '' The door won't open. It's locked.'' said Erza. '' Impossible. Jellal didn't lock the upper car station for a reason.'' said Loke. '' Well for some reason he did this time.'' said Erza. '' I think there maybe another way in.'' '' We could try breaking the door down.'' said Erza. '' No. It would get that guys attention.'' said Loke. '' Then............ Then the window.'' Erza and Loke looked towards the window with a weary eye as they approached it. 

'' I don't think I will be able to fit through this thing.'' said Loke. '' You can't, but I can.'' said Erza. She jumped up onto the bench and pulled at the frame of the window to open it a little further. '' Here I go.'' Erza carefully climbed in as fast as she could. The window almost shut after she kicked it with her foot by accident. '' Are you ok?'' asked Loke. '' Just peachy.'' said Erza. '' You want the axe just in case?'' asked Loke. '' No. Keep it.'' said Erza. 

He heard her land on the ground inside as she called out. '' I can't see anything in here Loke. How on earth am I going to find the door?'' asked Erza. '' Uhhh......'' Loke searched through his pockets for a moment before he found his cell phone. '' Hear. Use my cell phone.'' Loke threw it into the window, and Erza caught it with ease. She turned the thing on and began to make her way through the building. '' Oh man.'' '' What is it Erza?'' asked Loke. '' It looks like a bomb shell went off in here.'' said Erza. 

'' Did you find the door yet?'' asked Loke. '' Yeah. Just give me a second.'' He heard some metal clanking for a moment before the door flew open. '' You did it.'' cheered Loke. '' Even with the flashlight on I couldn't get to the door easily.'' said Erza. '' Why?'' '' Come take a look for yourself.''


	20. Chapter 20

Erza wasn't lying when she said it looked like a bomb shell had gone off in the lift. There was stuff scattered all around the place. Some things looked like they had been torn to shreds by something. '' It wasn't like this before.'' said Loke. '' We were just here a few hours ago. This has to have been resent.'' said Erza. '' Yeah.'' Loke went over to what looked like teh control panel for the lift. He looked at where the key should have been, and realized that the key was missing. '' It's gone.'' Muttered Loke.'' What's gone?'' asked Erza. '' The key for the control panel. It's not here.'' 

 

Loke stepped out of the way to let Erza see for herself that it was gone. '' We can't get the lift up here.'' she muttered. '' More like we can't get the lift back over here.'' Loke pointed towards the wire for the lift. Sure enough, sitting out on the wire a few yards away from them was the car for the lift. '' Can you jump to it?'' asked Erza. '' No, I don't think I can.'' said Loke. Erza looked away from the car frustrated. '' Then what are we going to do Loke?'' asked Erza. 

'' I....... I don't know.'' said Loke. '' Maybe there's a uh..... a map or something.'' said Erza.'' Maybe. Let's check in here.'' said Loke. The two walked over towards were the control panel was and entered the room just past it. There were a few filing cabinets here and there, but they couldn't see a map. '' No. There has to be one somewhere here. Help me look.'' Said Erza. The two spread around the room searching for any clue that would lead them to a map.

Pretty quickly Loke stumbled across a framed picture of sorts that was tucked in behind a few of the cabinets. '' Jackpot.'' He reached in behind and pulled what soon became known as the map that they had been searching for. '' Erza. I found one.'' said Loke. ''You did.'' She ran up behind him as he set the map against the wall on the desk. '' It's pretty old, but still readable.'' said Loke. They looked over the different drawn paths on the paper until tehy saw a path that led to an old radio tower. 

'' Look here.'' said Erza. '' Yeah.'' '' We can go to the radio tower. Maybe we can get a message out to the outside.'' said Erza. '' I think It's a fire tower, but you may be right about something. There should be a radio up there.'' said Loke. '' Loke, we've got to get to that radio tower.'' said Erza. '' I agree with you tenfold Erza.'' said Loke. '' Right then. Now how do we get to the path. It's on the other side of this building, and we can't get there via the path.'' said Erza. '' Hm.''

Loke thought for a moment before he saw something that would normally be blocked from eye sight by the lift. It looked like a small walkway they could shimmy across, if they could get down there that is. '' Look there.'' said Loke. He exited the room with Erza in tow as they headed over towards the small walkway. There was a beam in the middle of it that stuck out at an angle, so they'd have to bend, and try to keep their balance to get past that. '' There's got to be a ladder, or something around here.'' said Loke. Erza stepped forward and tried pulling on what looked like prongs on the wall. They shifted around for a moment, and she soon realized that it was a ladder she had a hold of. 

'' There's a ladder here, but I can't get to it.'' said Erza. '' Hold on.'' Loke bent down and held his hands out for her to step into. She took the offer, and it gave her enough extra height to pull the ladder down easily. It made a loud banging sound as it hit the platform bellow them. Erza stepped down from the perch Loke had made as she turned to the ladder. '' I'll go first.'' She carefully placed one foot after the other onto the old metal, and very rusted bars. '' I hope this will hold.'' she muttered as she began her descent. When she reached the bottom she accidentally stepped on something that was right by her foot. '' What the...'' She bent down and picked it up, soon realizing that it was a flashlight.  
'' I have a light source for our journey.'' she jokingly said. '' I can see that. Can you shine that light source of yours on the ladder so I can see?'' asked Loke. '' Yeah.'' Erza turned the light on and shone it on the metal bars as he began to carefully climb down with the axe still in his hands. He landed with a thud, and carefully held the axe at a distance from either of them. '' OK let's go.'' said Loke. Erza began to shimmy across first since she had the light. Things were going smoothly, until they reached the edge of the platform. 

Erza tried to bend forward to get across the beam, but lost her balance when a strong gust of arctic air blew past them. She stumbled to the side as her foot slid free from the side of the platform, and she began to fall. ''AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'' Loke saw her begin to fall and shot a hand out to her. ''NO!'' He was able to get a hold of her hand as he fell to his knees to keep a good hold on her. Erza fell fully over the side with only her hands to support her. One holding Loke's only free hand, and the other tightly gripping the side. '' I can't pull you up on my own. You have to try and pull yourself up.'' said Loke. 

She shook her head frantically with fear present in her eyes as she began to pull on his hand. After about a moment or two of failed tries she was able to hoist herself back up over the edge. She breathed in heavily as Loke pulled her back as far as he could from the edge. She pressed herself into his chest, and he laid his free arm over her body to hold her close. '' You're ok. You're ok.'' he soothed. '' Maybe...........Maybe you should go first.'' said Erza. '' Yeah. Probably best.'' said Loke. 

Once they were back on their feet Loke took the lead. He was able to get around the beam with ease, and soon Erza followed. A few feet later they were standing on a platform that lead down the path they needed to take. '' Thank God that's over.'' said Erza. '' This path should take us up to the fire tower. Let's go.'' said Loke. This time Erza took the lead since she had the only light source for the time being. '' What if it doesn't work?'' asked Erza. '' What?'' '' The radio.'' said Erza. '' It will work.'' said Loke. '' Yeah, but if it doesn't then.............. then what?'' asked Erza.

'' I guess we'll have to hang out till morning.'' said Loke. '' We need a better plan than just waiting till morning.'' said Erza. '' I know, but right now it's starting to look like our only option.'' said Loke. '' Climbing down the mountain could work.'' said Erza. '' Lucy and Natsu are the only people I know who could climb down a mountain in the middle of a snow storm.'' said Loke. '' Good point.'' said Erza. '' I guess that as long as we don't wait it out in the lodge then we can make it out alive until dawn.'' said Loke.   
Erza suddenly stopped walking as teh two came to a complete dead end. '' Dead end. This is a cliff.'' said Erza. '' Yeah.'' Loke could make out the remains of a danger sign that had been left to rot in the falling snow. '' I guess we turn around and head another direction.'' said Loke. They were about to leave, but a screeching noise coming from deep in the woods stopped them in their tracks. 

'' What is that noise?'' asked Erza. '' I've got no clue.'' The noise fell silent as it was taken over by what sounded like hooves. They got louder and louder until the two of them saw tons of wild caribou emerge from the trees. '' Oh god.'' whispered Erza. They crept up on the two of them, until they were completely blocked off from an exit. '' Damn.'' said Loke. All tehy could do was watch as the wild animals pushed them back ever so slowly towards the cliffs edge, and their deaths.


	21. Chapter 21

Lucy sat in the warm water she had poured for herself about two hours before. It was still nice and warm, and she was too distracted by her music to even think about wanting to get out right now. The music she was listening to was some popular Japanese song she had been introduced to be Natsu a few months ago, and it had soon become her favorite song. She was so distracted by it though, that she never noticed the tall masked figure exiting the room. Along with all her clothes. 

She heard the door close softly through the misic, and she took her earphones out to investigate. '' Guys........... Are you there?'' She didn't receive an answer from anyone. '' This isn't funny guys. Come out.'' said Lucy. She still didn't get an answer so she decided to get out of the tub and investigate. She wrapped a fluffy towel around her soaking wet form, and walked over to where she had left her clothes. 

When she reached down to grab them however, they were gone. All that was left was one of her dark brown socks, and her boots. '' This isn't funny guys. Who ever took my clothes is off my Christmas list this year.'' warned Lucy. She dropped the sock and quickly opened the door to the bathroom so she could go track down the traitors she called friends. Why was it that any chance they had to get at her they took it. She began to descend the stairs to the main floor, but stopped when she noticed that there were party balloons hung up all around the place. They were placed in a way that it created a pathway for either her, or someone else to follow. 

'' If you guys don't give me my clothes right now, you'll regret it.'' warned Lucy. She began to follow the balloons down the stairs, towards the basement, and into what looked like the in home movie theater. The whole time she was calling out to her friends to give her the clothes back. '' This had gone too far guys. I f you don't give me back my clothes right now I will hit you upside the hea......'' Lucy never finished what she was saying as the door she had just walked through slammed shut. '' AHHHHHHHHHH!'' 

The room filled with a dim light as she lit the flashlight she was smart enough to grab when she left the bathroom. It only added to the light when she realized that there was something playing on the screen to her right. It had a countdown like a film would before it would start.   
'' Hello Lucy. Looking for me? Well...... I don't think you'll have much luck by looking.''  
'' What the...... What the hell!''  
'' You're only going to see what I want you to see...And I have quite a lot to show you.''  
'' What is going on?''  
'' Open your eyes.''  
Lucy looked back to the screen which had finished it's countdown. It was showing a video real of her......... when she was in the bathroom. She had been listening to her tunes the whole time, oblivious to the outside world.  
'' My god.''  
'' She's quite beautiful, isn't she? A beautiful bathing bird.''  
'' How........... why..... why did you.''  
'' You think she has any clue about the danger that lies ahead? Do you think these were the last happy moments of this creatures short life?''  
'' Why are you showing this to me?''  
'' Why are you watching?''  
Lucy turned away from the screen in pure terror and fear. Who was this guy? Why was he showing her this stuff? It wasn't until she heard a familiar voice that she even dared to look back at the screen. '' Jellal!''  
'' How does it make you feel?''  
The man forced her to watch as Jellal was torn to pieces by the large saw blade. Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs at the horrendous act as she covered her mouth. '' What the hell did you do!'' she screeched.   
'' I'm going to give you ten seconds.............. Ten.''  
'' No.......... NO, NO, NO, NO!''  
'' Nine............ Eight............. Seven......''  
'' PLEASE NO!''  
The door to the room flew open, and Lucy let out a horrified shriek at what she saw. There was a man standing in the doorway with farmers like clothing, and a strange mask that made him look like a demon. '' Lucy.'' '' NO...........NO!'' '' Lu-cy.'' The psycho held up what looked like a canister of oxygen in his right hand, but she couldn't tell what was actually inside the thing. 

She had to fight back. Somehow she had to fight back............. the vase. Lucy saw the glass vase next to her and knew it was her only option. She wrapped her fingers around one of the cold smooth handles and chucked it at the psycho. '' SHUT UP!'' The minute the thing made contact with his body she ran for the other door. It only lead deeper into the house, so she would have to be careful. Her heart was beating miles per minute as she tried to keep a level head.

She soon came to the same stairwell were she and Jellal had been chased to after they ran into Natsu's stupid prank a few hours before. She quickly made her way down the stairs, almost tripping on the last one before turning the corner and running towards the boiler. ' If I can hide back here then maybe he won't notice me.' she thought. Lucy ran over to the wall, and flipped the flashlight off as quickly as her shaking fingers would allow her. The light flashed on, and off, almost as if ignoring her action to flip it off. 

'' The doctor will see you now Lucy.'' said the deep voice. The footsteps grew close, and before she knew it the man was upon her. '' NO!'' He pressed the mask into her face, and a cool air like substance began to fill her nostrils. Lucy fought against the gas mask, but to no avail. Lucy's hand groped around her back for anything to hit the man with, and soon her hand came into contact with the wooden bat she found with Jellal before. She gripped it, and tried to swing it at the psychos head. She heard it hit something, but it wasn't him. '' I'm sorry, but you missed. '' 

The bat slid from Lucy's hands, and her body began to grow lighter, and lighter. Her head swam with darkness closing in rapidly. Her body slid to the floor with the towel still wrapped firmly around her body. '' Sweet dreams Lucy.'' Her eyes slid shut as the mask lifted from her mouth.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a little longer than I expected it to be because of all the information I had to work with. I apologize if I got something wrong.

Loke, and Erza looked around the hoard of caribou that had followed them towards the edge of the cliff. They grunted, and snarled at them, almost like a warning to tell them to get out of the way before they're killed. Erza was frozen in place, not saying a word as the caribou inched closer, while Loke held out the axe as if to cut them up. '' Loke. We've got to do something.'' said Erza. '' You think I don't know that already?'' he asked, looking back to her. Erza simply shrugged, and gazed back at the caribou. 

Loke began to step forward, holding the axe down at his side. '' Loke. What are you?......'' '' Just stay calm. Follow me.'' he said. Erza watched as he began to step forward, one hand held out for protection. Erza followed slowly behind, and saw that the caribou weren't doing anything. They were just moving away from them. The two made their way towards the right where the path was to lead to the fire tower, and their last hope to find help. It wasn't until they were towards the end of the group that they saw one of the caribou walk up to them. Loke never lifted the axe to fight back, and soon the animal backed up from them. 

They took the opening, and ran towards the path. After a quick jump they were standing on the pathway, which was hard to see due to snow covering it. However, it was clear enough to make out their way. They didn't waste much time in making their way up the path. Erza took the light, while Loke kept a grip on the axe. 

'' We have to get help up here fast.'' Erza muttered. '' After what happened to the others, who knows what will happen next.'' Loke added. It didn't take more than about five minutes of walking to find the fire tower. It was visible due to a flashing red light a top the roof. The minute they stepped up in front of the building they were both blinded by a bright light. They had to shield their eyes to keep from hurting them, and Erza grunted as she tried to adjust to it. '' What the hell? Why's it so bright?'' she asked. '' I think it's a security sensor. Not much we can do about it.'' Loke said. 

'' Let's just get up there.'' said Erza. '' Right behind you.'' said Loke they blocked the light from their eyes, and slowly made their way up to the ladder of the building. The actual control room was farther up than they liked. There was no choice but to climb up, and see what they found. Either that, or they all find out what that psycho could do next. Erza made her way up the ladder first, hoping to flash the light on the barely visible prongs of the ladder for Loke to see where he was going. She heard a quick clang of wood on wood, and looked back to see Loke had set the axe down. '' Why did you put it down? We may need that.'' said Erza. '' I can't climb up with that thing in my arms. If I were to fall, or make a wrong move I may injure myself.'' He explained. Erza brushed it to the back of her mind, and continued her assent. Once at the top she had to open a trap door, while fighting against the wind that pushed her around on the ladder. '' The wind's getting strong all of a sudden.'' said Erza. 

'' Just stay alert. Don't lose your grip.'' said Loke. '' Roger that.'' Erza was finally able to get the door open, and she quickly climbed the rest of the way inside. She turned back to face the hole, were Loke's head soon popped up through. His ginger hair was coated with a thin layer of snow, which made his hair look much lighter of a color than normal. Erza grabbed his arm, and helped him up into the small building. Once inside he bent back towards the trap door, and slid it shut with the lock over it just in case. '' We made it.'' said Loke. '' Yeah, but from what I can see there's no power.'' said Erza. '' Maybe there's a fuse box somewhere up here.'' said Loke. '' It may be outside. Let's take a look.'' said Loke. 

Erza looked around with the flashlight, and found a loker towards the wall. She opened it up, and found the only thing inside as a picture of both Ultear, and Melody inside. It made her feel sad at first, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and kept looking. She found a door that lead out towards the terrace like thing just outside the room. It didn't take much looking for them to find what had to be the fuse box. It had only one large switch on it. Erza pressed the button, and soon the lights flickered to life. Erza let a cheer pass her lips, and looked back to Loke who seemed impressed. '' You found that faster than I thought you would.'' he congratulated. '' Score one for Erza.'' she said, Fist pumping the air. '' Let's go get that message out.'' Loke, and Erza both rushed inside the building, shutting the door tightly behind them to block out the cold. 

Erza rushed over to the radio, and flipped a switch on the front, watching as the light on it came to life, and began to make white noise. The microphone was pulled tightly from the table, and she held it up to her lips to speak. '' Hello.... Is there anyone there? Please, we need help.'' said Erza. A beat or two past before a voice began to crackle through, and then they felt their breaths escape their lungs. The voice was inaudible, so she turned the knob in one hand. Loke watched as she did this, hoping that someone would hear them. He happened to glance back towards another table in the room, and saw there was a flare gun sitting on it. 

He reached out, and gripped the red gun in his hand, looking it over as if it was his last hope. Well, at this rate, it was. He stowed it away in his back pocket, and turned back to Erza where he heard a voice come through clearly.   
'' Hello. This is the Blackwood pines police station.''  
'' Help! Can you hear me? Please, answer me? Over. Over!'' Erza begged. The voice crackled through once more.   
'' I cannot understand what you're trying to tell me ma'am. Please tell me your name.''  
'' M-My name, my name is Erza Scarlet. Please. We need help, there's a psychopath. He's trying to kill us. Please.''  
'' I can't understand you. Please repeat yourself.''   
'' Oh God, please. We need help. Please, send help, please.'' she begged. The radio ran through white noise for what felt like forever, until the voice crackled through once more.   
'' Affirmative. We'll send a helicopter to rescue you when the storm calms.''   
'' When will that be?'' asked Erza.   
'' At dawn.''   
'' No. We-we can't wait that lo..... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH''   
Erza jumped at the sound of something trying to get in the building from under the trap door. From the window she could make out the motion sensor light, which was shining brightly. The door was bouncing up, and down from the force being exerted on it. Erza backed up into the table until her back was against it. Loke stood rather close, pulling the flare gun from his pocket as if it would do damage. They both thought other. '' Oh God. He found us. He's going to kill us.'' Erza began shouting. '' I won't let him.'' said Loke. The radio was springing to life with message, after message from the man trying to get a hold of them.   
'' Please, ma'am. Can you tell us how many of you are up there?''  
Erza never turned to answer him, focusing solely on the door, and nothing else. Time passed, and soon the banging stopped. The two stayed deadly silent for a moment, waiting to see what the man would do next. When nothing happened, they let out a sigh of relief. Erza slumped forward, all anxiety from a moment before leaving her body. '' He's gone.'' she muttered. '' Not for long I bet.'' said Loke. 

Soon the building began to rock from a strong gust of wind hitting its side. The two felt the building moving under their feat, and they looked up at each other. Fear, and panic was emanating from their eyes. The building tilted. 

'' LOKE!'' '' Shit. The buildings collapsing.'' the two rushed for the opposite wall, dodging desks, and tables that toppled towards them. '' WE'RE GOING TO DIE!'' Erza screamed. '' HOLD ON!'' yelled Loke. He glanced down after grabbing the windowsill, and saw that there was a small fire starting on the floor. It stretched towards the walls around him, and Erza. The leapt at the metal she was hanging onto for dear life, and the heat it caused made her loose her grip. 

'' AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!'' '' ERZA!'' Loke watched as she fell towards the window below them. She hit it with a loud thud, and sent white cracks all over the clear glass. She was motionless for a moment, making Loke's heart jump with the thought of her laying there already dead. She moved after a few seconds, letting a soft moan escape her lips. '' Erza. Can you hear me?'' asked Loke. '' Y-Yeah. I can.'' she answered. Erza went to push herself up off the glass, but couldn't as the panels caved in from her weight. Her arm fell through first, then the rest of her body followed. She didn't scream, which was surprising to both of them. She felt her arm catch on a metal bar that must've been from the railing, and gripped it tightly in her hands. Her body swung back, and forth from the motion. 

'' Shit. This isn't good!'' she shouted. '' Just hold on Erza!'' yelled Loke. '' Not much else I can do.'' she retorted. The tower creaked from the pressure being put on the legs, and soon it was tilting faster. Loke felt his feat leave the ground under him, and he dangled their watching as Erza tried her best to hold on to the railing. '' Hold on tightly! We're going down!'' he yelled. The tower fell to the side of the small cliff like hill it was built on, and ran right down into the entrance to one of the mine shafts. 

 

Loke stood on the windowsill looking down into the remnants of the tower. There was fire all around him now, and the smoke was making it hard for him to breath. It also kept his from seeing everything clearly, so he had no sight of Erza. '' ERZA! HEY, ERZA!'' He maneuvered around the windowsill so he was facing it. Slowly, with one foot after the other, he crept across the wooden ledge. Once close enough to it, he pried the metal door open, ignoring the burning feeling his hand received from it. 

Loke was able to escape through this door, and took slow steps to make sure all that work wasn't for nothing. '' Erza! Can you hear me!?'' he yelled. There was a muffled cry that followed his yell, and his head snapped around to where it came from. '' Erza?'' '' Loke. I'm here, I'm over here.'' he heard her yell. He didn't waste a beet in running over to where the shouts where coming from. '' I can't move. Where are you Loke?'' she yelled. '' I'm coming. Just hang on.'' he told her. 

He was looking over the side of the tower, and there he could see her. She was resting on the remnants of the railing, with one hand above her head in case it fell away from under her. '' If I move I might fall.'' she said. '' Are you ok?'' he asked. '' Better than I would've been if I hadn't lifted myself up.'' she explained. '' I'm going to get you out of there. Just hold on.'' '' I'll try.'' Loke laid himself on his stomach, and reached a hand down to where Erza was. His hand was so close to her own outstretched one that if he could stretch his arm a little further he could reach her. The tower then began to shake, and fall further into the mine shaft. 

Loke jerked his hand back, and watched as the tower slid further, and further down. Erza felt the railing under her begin to give way, and soon there was nothing under her. Her hands groped around for the closest object, which was another metal beam. '' Oh God. No, no no, no.'' '' J-Just hold on Erza.'' '' lease hurry?'' she begged. The tower took another quick lurch downwards, and a terrified shriek filled the air. 

Loke looked back to Erza, and saw her body falling into the smoky abyss below them. The last thing he saw of her was her terror stricken eyes looking back up at him. '' Erza!'' The tower began to shake more, and more causing Loke to lose his balance. '' Oh shit! Oh shit!'' Loke saw his last hope sitting a few feet away from him. There was a ledge out in front of him, and if he could get to it he wouldn't be crushed by all the metal, and wood. The tower took one final jerk, and just as it fell out from under his feet he jumped. He landed face first on the ground, hitting his head off it.

The tower fell through the shaft, and landed with a loud bang. Loke let his head fall back on the cold ground beneath him, in both pain, and grief. Blood trickled from a wound to his temple from where he'd hit the ground. Everything felt calm for once, almost like it was all over for him. That it, until something latched onto the hood of his parka. His body was dragged across the ground like a rag doll, scraping away at his clothes to expose his skin. '' GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF!'' he screamed. That's when it dawned on him that he still had that flare gun. 

He gripped the red pistol in his hands, fighting against the grip on his hood in the process. He held the gun behind his head, and shot it at whatever was pulling his hood. The grip on his hood let go, and decided to run a sharp claw like thing across his shoulder. It successfully cut through the material of his parka, and his skin. a terrified, high pitched screech ecoed off the walls as his body came to a stop. He glanced back to see what had grabbed him, but only saw the last of the flare flickering in the ground. '' What the hell?'' he muttered, lifting a hand to grab at his new shoulder wound.


	23. Chapter 23

Wendy ran down the wooden stairs of the lodge, a sad look plastered on her still shaken features. '' Is she not up there?'' asked Natsu. '' No. I can't find her anywhere upstairs.'' she explained. '' Then we best start searching, because I couldn't find her either.'' said Natsu. The two had found their way back to the lodge shortly after the incident with Jellal, and the buzz saw. They knew that Loke, and Erza had left to find some help, and they were hoping that they were successful with that. 

'' Where could Lucy have gone?'' asked Wendy. '' She's Lucy. It's hard to tell when she'll up and disappear like this.'' said Natsu. '' Do you think the psycho got her?'' asked Wendy. '' I'd rather not think about that ri...'' Natsu shut his mouth when he heard Wendy gasp in shock behind him. He turned back to her, and saw her staring at what looked like a lit candle. Had that been lit before? '' Wendy, you alright?'' asked Natsu. '' The candle. It..... It just lit on its own.'' she said. '' Probably just your imagination. Let's keep moving.'' said Natsu. '' Yeah.'' 

Wendy followed him around the house, silence befalling them as they went. '' Hey, Natsu?'' asked Wendy, finally breaking the nerve wracking silence befalling them. '' Yeah?'' '' I just.... What happened back in the shed.... I'm sorry about what you had to do.... I know Jellal was your friend.'' she mumbled. '' Wendy please....'' '' No. I just wanted to.... To say thank you. Thank you for saving my life back there.'' she said, following him down a flight of stairs. '' Wendy. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't let that maniac hurt you.'' said Natsu. They entered the room they had held their séance in only a few hours before, and they eyed the Ouija board with disgust. 

The past right by it, and went into the library. '' Can we please not think about that now Wendy. I'd rather not have to think about what just happened back there.'' said Natsu. '' I understand.'' she said. They walked through another doorway leading into what looked like a home movie theater. They completely bypassed it, and went straight for another doorway across from it. The second they both set foot inside the door swung shut, banging against the frame were it now stuck. 

Wendy gasped in shock as she spun around to face it. Natsu looked back with her, but brushed it away quickly. '' Natsu?'' Wendy's throat tightened from fear, and panic as she tried to recompose herself from the shock. '' Let's go. I don't like the looks of this.'' said Natsu. Wendy walked towards what looked to be a closet of sorts. She thought there may be something inside that could help them so she tried to open the door. The second her hand even brushed the metal handle it slammed shut. '' This is messed up.'' she heard Natsu say. '' It's like it's leading us further into the house.'' she said. 

She looked back to Natsu, who was already making his way ahead of her. She ran after him, afraid that if she fell behind he would leave her. Once caught up she found herself in what had to be the basement. There was no light other than the battery powered lanterns they held. Natsu had wandered over towards something that was out of her own eye sight. She decided to keep moving towards where she thought Lucy might be hiding, and then she saw it. There was some sort of apparition in front of her. It was tall compared to herself, and moved from one side of the hall to the wall were it disappeared. 

'' Natsu. There's something down there.'' said Wendy. '' Down where?'' he asked. '' I just saw it. It was some sort of an apparition.'' said Wendy. '' You mean a ghost?'' '' Yes... No..... I don't know what it was.'' she said, looking frantically around as if the creature would appear once more. '' Your mind is fried Wendy.... My mind is fried... I don't even trust what I'm seeing right now.'' he said. '' I swear Natsu. I saw something.'' she insisted. '' I guess you're right, but until I see it for myself I won't trust it.'' he stated. '' Natsu. I don't want to be down here.'' said Wendy. '' We have to find Lucy. Who knows if she's in trouble or not. We have to help her.'' said Natsu. 

The two jumped when a creaking noise came from a door to their right. It flew open on its own revealing the staircase to the basement he had been searching a few hours ago to find the Ouija board. '' Let's go.'' He went down first, and was soon followed by Wendy who had a shaky tremble in her step. Her legs began to feel heavy, almost like they were going to freeze right where she stood. The only thing keeping her going was Natsu who kept insisting thye had to find Lucy. She understood why though, Lucy was her friend to, and she wanted to make sure she was safe as much as he did. 

A loud bang erupted from somewhere deeper in the basement, making both her, and Natsu jump out of their skin. He jumped back, almost dropping the flashlight, while Wendy did. It rolled at her feet, landing only a few inches away from a rocking horse which was moving on its own. She was ready to scream, but Natsu clamped a hand over her mouth before she could. '' Not a good idea. If he finds out we're down here we're screwed.'' said Natsu, taking his hand away from her mouth. '' Why was that moving on its own?'' asked Wendy. '' Your flashlight may have hit it.'' he suggested. 

'' Why is everything getting all freaky like this?'' she mumbled. '' Who knows. Let's try and stay focused. I think you're kind of ignoring the whole problem here.'' said Natsu. '' I'm not crazy Natsu. You just aren't seeing that white figure I saw.'' she argued. '' You're right, but I have seen other things like my best friend since third grade being torn apart by a buzz saw.'' said Natsu. Wendy fell silent after that. She looked ahead of her, and saw the figure was standing there again. Natsu wasn't paying attention at all. He was messing with his flashlight. '' Natsu. Natsu look up already. It's right there.'' begged Wendy. She got him to look up, but when he did there was nothing there. The specter had vanished. 

'' Wendy. There's nothing there.'' said Natsu. '' No. There was something there. It was a ghost, it looked like Melody. I swear, it looked just like her.'' said Wendy. '' Wendy. It's not her. Ghost don't exist.'' said Natsu. '' Then what did I just see down there?'' she asked. Natsu fell silent, deflating in defeat. '' I don't know. I just don't.'' he muttered. The two jumped when they heard a loud scream echo down the hall, followed by one of the old picture frames falling from the wall. It fell face down blocking the photo inside. 

'' What the hell did that?'' asked Natsu. '' You see. Something's down here with us.'' said Wendy. She ran towards the picture, and turned down the hall nearby. There was nothing there, but she kept her guard up anyway. As she walked she found a key hanging on the wall nearby. It was a small skeleton key. '' Hey Natsu. I found a key over here.'' she said. '' Keep a hold of it. We may need it later.'' said Natsu. She slipped it in her pocket for safe keeping, and looked back down the hall only to freeze where she stood. 

There was another specter of sorts rushing around the end of the hallway. '' N-NATSU! Natsu look there!'' she yelled. He looked towards the specter, and caught a glimpse of it before it merged into the wall. '' You saw that right? Tell me you saw that?'' '' Well. I uhhh...... I saw something alright....... This is crazy.'' Natsu ran after the specter as if he could follow where it was going. '' It's almost like it's trying to lead us somewhere.'' said Wendy. '' Maybe it is.'' said Natsu. 

Wendy watched as he stopped walking, and shone his flashlight on something that was out of eye sight. When she got close enough she saw it was an old wooden dollhouse. It was pretty large with two levels inside, and was painted with various colors of yellow, green, white, and pink. '' What's this?'' Wendy walked up to it followed by Natsu. They both peered inside the small windows as if they'd find something. When in fact they did see something. Something they'd rather forget. '' It's locked up tight. I don't think I can open it.'' said Natsu. '' Maybe there's a key hole or something.'' said Wendy. '' Key hole..... Wendy. Hand me that key will you?'' asked Natsu. 

She obliged and handed it over to him. He searched up and down the sides of the house before finding the small key hole hidden by a face window panel at the top. The key turned with a silent click, and the house opened up like a board game. '' Oh God.'' Wendy cupped her mouth as she took a step back from what she saw inside. Sitting inside this tiny house was a total of about five small dolls inside. Each one bore a strong resemblance to someone who had been a part of the prank pulled on Melody over a year ago. There was one doll that stood out to her the most, for it was much shorter, and had long blue hair that hung loosely down its back. 

'' Someone set this up.'' said Natsu. '' NO. It's something bigger than that. That's the exact spot I was sitting in, and I even have a camera.'' said Wendy. '' It's just a coincidence.'' '' No it's not. Please, Natsu. This is a sign.'' said Wendy. '' Maybe it's a warning sign of sorts. I don't know what to believe anymore.'' Natsu said rather blatantly. '' I think it's the ghosts. They may be trying to tell us that the maniac killed our friends Melody, and Ultear.'' said Wendy. '' This guy's trying to get into our heads, and I don't like it at all.'' said Natsu. The doll towards the back of the tiny room suddenly moved, as one eye slid open to reveal black dead orbs. Natsu, and Wendy threw themselves back from the dollhouse in fear. 

Wendy shot forward, and shut the thing tightly, jostling the roof of the house which popped up on hinges. '' Wendy. Look there.'' said Natsu. She linked eyes with the open roof of the doll house, and saw there was something laying inside it. Natsu grabbed it, and looked it over in his hand. '' This is Melody's diary.'' he said. '' Read it. Maybe there's a clue as to who this guy chasing us is.'' said Wendy. 

Natsu obliged, and opened the book to the first few pages with writing. All he could make out was a few drawings of butterfly's, music notes, and a few sentences. '' I can't read this. Melody's hand writing was worse than I thought it was.'' Natsu returned the book to where he found it, and decided to keep searching the house.


	24. Chapter 24

The two approached yet another room of the larger than life basement. They were about to turn into the room, but were stopped as something jumped up in front of them. Wendy screamed at the sight as it lunged towards them before the specter morphed into the floor. Natsu ran over to the specter, but when he entered the room the door slammed shut. Just like it had when he had tried to save Wendy from that freak. '' Natsu!'' Wendy dropped her flashlight, and ran towards the door at full speed. 

She pulled, and pulled at the handle. It wouldn't budge. Almost like something was holding it from the other side. '' NATSU!'' She felt something cold start to creep up from behind her, and she instantly fell to her knees in a fetal position. Burying her face in her knees, she begged for the creature to go away. The door flew back open without her knowledge, and soon Natsu was on his knees right by her side. '' Wendy. Wendy, hey, look at me.'' 

The poor girl looked towards Natsu with fear emanating from them, and Natsu sumply pulled her close, and hugged her tightly. '' It's ok Wendy. I'm alright. There's nothing to worry about.'' soothed Natsu. '' I thought the specter was going to kill you or something.'' she mumbled. '' I thought the same, but I'm still here aren't I?'' Natsu stood from the floor, and handed Wendy the flashlight. '' Come on, there's another passageway down here.'' he said. '' Right.'' 

Wendy followed him down the hall, looking all around with her flashlight. After a few moments passed her flashlight fell on a small blue booklet. It was full of small catalogues for light that you'd put into a projector. Wendy tucked that information away in her mind for later, and directed her attention to the scissors to the books left. She gripped them in her hand, and looked them over. They were old, but they'd do the trick of giving her some protection at least. She slid them in the pocket where the key from before still rested, and ran back after Natsu. If she hadn't looked over before reaching him, she never would've found what looked to be a camera. 

She slowly grabbed it out of the small cabinet it was laying in, watching the small red light that indicates it's blink brightly. '' Natsu. I think you should see this.'' said Wendy. '' What's the matter?'' he asked, coming up behind her. '' There's a camera here. Someone's filming us.'' she said. '' Camera? Who would want to film us?'' Natsu grabbed the camera in his hand and turned it all over as if it would have some sort of clue on it. Of course, there was nothing there. '' This guy's one sick bastard. He's filming our reactions.'' said Natsu. 

'' I don't like this.'' said Wendy. '' Me neither.'' said Wendy. Natsu set the camera back down so it was facing away from them. Wendy was about to follow him out of the room, but stopped for a moment to go back to the camera. She gripped it in her hand, and held the lens right up to her face. '' Go to hell you jerk!'' she yelled before throwing the camera back down. '' What coarse language Wendy.'' said Natsu, a slight snicker in his voice. '' He deserves it after what he's done.'' said Wendy. They continued to walk around the basement looking everywhere. Only stopping to talk for a short moment when they both felt the room begin to shake. 

The shaking wasn't very strong, but it was enough to move what looked like a loose wooden door. Behind it was a long dark hallway that lead to areas of the house neither one of them had been inside of. '' Natsu. Is this a good idea?'' asked Wendy. '' If we want to find Lucy then we have to search everything. Even if we've never seen it before, this man probably has.'' he explained before entering the hall. '' I guess you're right.'' Wendy trotted in after him. They didn't have to walk for very long before Wendy fell behind. 

Natsu turned to face her, and watched as she stopped walking all together. '' Wendy. Is something wrong?'' asked Natsu. '' Natsu. I don't want to be down here anymore.'' said Wendy. '' I know what you mean. I'm about ready to call it, and get the hell out of here.'' he said. '' I just wanted to forget about what happened last year.'' '' To be honest. I'm not that sure if Melody even knew what she was doing at the time.'' said Natsu. '' Great. Don't go say that.'' said Wendy. '' It's her fault for trusting the note. She knew Gray was dating someone else already.'' said Natsu. 

'' Natsu. If that had been you don't you think you'd run away as well. I know I probably would.'' said Wendy. '' Nobody's made fun of me.'' he said. '' Not to your face.'' said Wendy. '' What?'' '' Natsu. We made Melody look stupid in front of her crush, and look where she is now. I can't even imagine doing any worse than that.'' said Wendy. '' I know. I know.'' Natsu turned away and began to walk again. Wendy trailed behind a few steps, hoping not to make him angry if he wasn't already. As she walked she stumbled upon a small charm bracelet laying on the ground. 

'' Oh no.'' '' What is it?'' Wendy bent down, and picked up the metal chain, watching the twelve jewels dangling off it swing around. '' This is Lucy's. It's her zodiac charm bracelet.'' said Wendy. '' She'd never take this thing off.'' she added. '' Then maybe we're getting close.'' said Natsu. '' Perhaps.'' Wendy slid the bracelet into her pocket, and kept walking. The halls around her began to change as they went. They were like concrete at one point, but now the walls were made of rotting wood. Some walls were collapsed inwards, while others were falling apart slowly. Light would seep through from holes in the ceiling every now and then.

Wendy had gotten so distracted by her surroundings, that she almost didn't here Natsu calling out for her. '' Wendy. Take a look at these.'' She ran over to him, and pointed the flashlight at a brown box on the floor. There was the corner of what looked to be a large stack of newspapers sticking out, and a label on it that read in large bold letters. '' Fake newspapers.'' ''Why would someone want fake newspapers?'' asked Wendy. '' Well someone wanted them. Who however may be for another time.'' Natsu motioned towards another hallway leading deeper, and deeper into what began to feel like an endless pit of a basement. 

'' Natsu. All of this is giving me a bad feeling.'' said Wendy. '' How so?'' '' everything we've seen says that the guy who made the newspapers, and set up that camera is the one that took Lucy.'' said Wendy. '' That's pretty much it.'' he said. '' What about it?'' '' It's just, I feel like he's made this whole thing for us to find. Almost like he's set us up.'' said Wendy. '' For all we know he's watching us run around like lab rats in a maze.'' she added. '' It may sound crazy, but what you said may hold a bit of sense in it.'' said Natsu. '' Right.'' They jumped when another bang came from down the hall, and they immediately set back to looking for Lucy.

While they were walking Wendy and Natsu found a bunch of old car batteries hooked up to timers. They were sparking a lot, so they didn't dare to place a hand on them. Natsu had recalled something he had learned from an old friend about being able to hook these up to electronics to control them remotely. They kept that thought in mind as they moved along. 

They entered a room soon after that was different from the others. There were all sorts of tools hanging from the ceiling, and the walls. Chains hung loosely from the ceiling to dangle only a few feet above their heads. The second they were both in the door, it slammed with a metal bang. Wendy jumped slightly, but fell back into her regular state before following Natsu once more. '' Wendy. I think you want to take a look at this.'' said Natsu. '' What is it?'' She trotted over to him, and took a step back in shock when she saw what was there. There were two columns of photos of all the people who were up here. the photo of Jellal had two large white X's over his eyes, along with a blood splatter bellow it. 

'' It's a hit list.'' said Natsu. '' I think I'm going to be sick.'' said Wendy, holding a hand to her stomach. '' Keep it together Wendy. We're going to be just fine.'' said Natsu. '' I hope.'' They began their search once more. Wendy would've kept following him, but stopped when she saw a light from a closed off room nearby. She opened the door to it, and found there was a projector on inside. '' What do we have here?'' asked Natsu. '' I'm not sure.'' She ran up to the projector, and found the on switch for the reel of film to start moving. What they saw made both of them cringe on the inside. '' Natsu. This is the video I took last year.'' 

'' I can't believe this.'' me mumbled. '' We promised not to watch this video after we took it. I couldn't bear to.'' she said. Wendy felt her throat close up at the sight of Melody walking into the shot. '' She was so happy. We took that away from her.'' '' She had no idea. had forgotten how you'd helped by filming.'' said Natsu. '' You were drunk. It's expected that you forgot.'' she said. '' I couldn't ever feel worse about this. It was just a prank, and we took it to far.'' she added. '' It's ok Wendy.'' said Natsu, watching a tear slip from her eyes. '' I'll never watch this again.'' she said, wiping the tear away. 

She looked back up for a moment only to see a photo of Melody as it seemed to morph into a demon. The same demon that was on the mask Gray had used to scare her. Wendy and Natsu screamed at the sight, and flipped the projector off. '' Natsu. What is going on?'' she begged, pulling at her hair. '' I don't know Wendy. I don't think it's a ghost.'' said Natsu. '' Then who could it be?'' she asked. '' Maybe the same person who took you, and killed Jellal. The same person who probably has Lucy as we speak.'' said Natsu. '' You're right I guess.'' They left the room behind them to keep searching. 

Time passed, and soon they came to what seemed like the end of the tunnel. '' Maybe Lucy's behind that door.'' said Natsu. '' Let's open it.'' said Wendy. Natsu handed off his flashlight, and began to pull at the door. He grunted as the door slowly began to budge to an open position. '' I think I got it, but I can't hold it forever. You've gotta go through now Wendy.'' said Natsu. '' Ok.'' Wendy ran under his arm as quickly as she could, and Natsu fell in behind her. The door fell shut, and he let a sigh of relief pass his lips once through. '' Well. We're through.'' said Wendy. '' Let's hope we can still get out.'' said Natsu, taking his flashlight back from Wendy's hand.

The room was very cold to them, almost like a freezer. There must've been no connection to a heating system down this far. They searched, and searched every room, hallway, and other passage they found here. It felt almost as if they'd never find Lucy, until they found a room void of everything but a chair. Someone was sitting in the chair. '' Natsu. Someone's over there.'' said Wendy. '' Maybe it's Lucy.'' he said. They pressed forward, slowly making their way towards Lucy. They made it in a few steps, and Natsu reached out to turn the chair around to see her. 

He saw her head loll to the side from the motion. She was limp in her tied up position, and there was blood covering her knees. She was clad only in a white towel. '' On no. Natsu, is she dead? She can't be dead.'' muttered Wendy. '' She's not dead Wendy. Take a look, she's still breathing.'' said Natsu, pointing to the rhythmic up, and down of her chest. '' Natsu, we have to get her out of here. If that guy comes back he going to ki....'' 

Wendy heard the flashlight from Natsu's hand hit the floor, and he began grunting through something that muffled his voice. Wendy spun around, and saw he had a mask of sorts over his face. His eyes slid closed before he fell to the floor unconscious. '' Og God no. This isn't happening.'' Wendy told herself. The man came towards her next, holding the mask up to place it over her face. '' No. Stay away. Stay away!'' Wendy grabbed the scissors from earlier, and thrust them forward at the man. 

They made contact with his shoulder, and the man howled in pain. He dropped the mask, and bent down to cup his wound. '' NO, NO, NO! LIVE AND LEARN!'' he yelled. '' What?'' A fist connected with Wendy's left eye, and she fell to the floor in a heap. '' Live, and learn.'' she was out cold before he could pick her up.


	25. Chapter 25

Erza looked around her surrounding as the smoke began to clear from her eyesight. She had heard Loke screaming somewhere above her, or from her current position bellow her. She was hanging by a cable of sorts that had caught on her foot. '' Loke! This can't be happening. Loke!'' She never received a response which told her that he was either dead, or too far away to hear her. If that was the case though, why could she still hear him when he screamed? She had to let that wait until later. What mattered right now was that she had to get herself free. 

From what she could see through her dangling hair there wasn't anything behind her she could grab to save herself. In front of her however she could see what looked to be the remains of the metal ladder from the tower. '' Ok Erza. You can do this.'' she told herself. She stretched her arms out, and began to give herself some momentum. A moment later she was swinging towards the ladder. After a few more swings she had a hold of the ladder. The cable fell away from her ankle soon after when the thing it was snagged on gave way and fell to the ground below her. 

She made her way across the prongs of the ladder, making sure that her grip was tight so she wouldn't fall. Soon a rather loud creaking noise filled her ears, and she looked up to see pieces of burning planks falling towards her. '' Oh no. Crap.'' She was able to dodge the burning wood, but lost her grip letting her body fall to the metal beneath her. She hit with a loud bang, letting a gasp of pain pass her lips. 

She would've just sat there until the air returned to her lungs, but the protests of the creaking metal above her said otherwise. '' Shit.'' She pushed herself back as far as she could, only stopping when a loose shard of sharp metal came in contact with her leg. It was sharp enough to cut right through her pants, and slice her knee open. She ignored the searing pain, and kept crawling until she was clear. The remnants of the tower came down moments later, missing her by only a foot or two of room. They fell to the cavern floor, and she didn't dare try to pear over to see if she could see it still. 

Her knee was throbbing from the cut, and when she touched it she elicited a hiss of pain. It was bleeding enough that it had soaked into the cloth around it, so she decided to sacrifice a piece of her shirt for it. She wasn't going to use her coat for that. It was way too cold down here to do that. Once her leg was tied off she stood and looked for something to use to light her way. She found a piece of wood that was lit only on one end, and decided it would be a good use for a torch. She grabbed it, and went on her way to find an exit. 

The tunnels turned all around as she walked through them. They lead her all different ways, and every now and then she could hear the screech of s creature of sorts fill the cavern. She saw remains of what the miners had left behind when the place was abandoned, making her feel even more uneasy. At some point she found a box of sorts sitting on the found near some old mine carts. She opened the metal container, and found some old pictures inside. One was of the people who had been a part of the blasting crew back in December of 1951. It wasn't very important to her, so she put it back, and kept moving.

She decided her best bet was to follow the tracks the mine carts sat on, hoping that it would help to lead her out. She found a car that was sitting near the entrance of a blocked off part of the mines, and saw that the break was pulled on it. She pulled the break back, and watched as the cart plowed through the planks blocking off the entrance. It rolled a little further before smacking off something rather large. 

When she walked through the entrance she found a mounted oil lamp near her head, and decided to light it. The light wasn't bright enough to light more than a few feet, but it did help her a little. The second it was lit another animalistic shriek filled the cavern around her. She brushed it off, and kept searching. She didn't want to know what was making the noise, or whether it was after her or not. things began to grow stranger when she saw flames jump out at something from far above her, and whatever the flames hit began to screech in pain. '' What was that?'' Erza muttered. 

She looked around for a moment before turning back to the path, only to trip on a section of detached track. She fell forward, and went straight through a section of board blocking off a steep fall. She tumbled down the section of rock, and fell on something large, and round when she hit the bottom. It dug into her back as the wind was thrown straight from her lungs. '' Ow..... Ow, ow, ow. My back.'' she muttered. She slowly lifted herself from the ground realizing her torch was gone. It had to have fallen when she fell. 

Feeling around in her pockets she found what had to be her cell phone. She immediately pulled it out, and turned it on to bring up the flashlight built into it. The light illuminated what had been underneath her, and she let a shrill scream tear through her throat. The thing she had landed in was a skull, and it was cracked in various places from how hard she had hit it. '' No. This can't be..... Get away. Get me out of here.'' Panic began to rise in her chest as she tried to climb back up the drop. She tore her hands up in the process, only getting a little ways before falling once more. 

She tried to calm herself, which worked after a few minutes, and began to walk past the skulls. She hated them so much. Even though all the girls she new, and even some men, thought she was tough, she was actually at her worst when she was panicked. Especially in a situation like now. She's been separated from all her friends, including Loke who could be dead as we speak. Now Erza's walking around blind in the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft. She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when her foot hit off something hard. When she looked down there was an old miners hat laying at her feet, bobbing back and forth from her foot hitting it. '' That's a little creepy.'' she mumbled. 

Something else not far from where she was standing caught her eye. When she grabbed it she realized it was an old photo of a man, more or less a miner, with his wife and child. There was some writing on the back of it that read. 

'' Dearest Billy, hurry home safely from you wife, and you loving daughter. Agnes, and Louise.''

She put the photo back, and kept going. She had found some old rusty ladders that were a little to rusted for her to climb without them breaking. She didn't even touch them as she walked by. More fire leapt out from over heal illuminating the ceiling., while the terrible screams of that creature filled her ears. Towards her right she found a ladder that was a ways above her head from where the bottom had broken off. There was enough room between her, and the ladder that if she could climb the rocks she could reach it. 

She tried leaping towards the ladder rock after rock. Making sure she could grab the rock above her before making the jump. Once high enough the ladder was reachable she took one final jump, and her hands tightened around the metal rods of the ladder. Once she had reached the top of the ladder she pulled the phone from her pocket, and followed the shaft to another section of the mines. she walked for some time until she started to hear a beeping sound, and her phone began to buzz in her hand. She looked down and saw a large red colored battery illuminate the screen before it shut off completely. '' Great. Just great.'' she mumbled. 

She walked blind for awhile, seeing flames leap out from the walls for the third time that night. The creature howled yet again, and she didn't bother to turn anymore. Maybe if the creature was trying to kill her then the fire leaping out at it was from a guy trying to help her. Maybe it was Loke. It was hard to tell at this point. She went up a short staircase, and low and behold she found her torch sitting there. It was still burning brightly, so she grabbed it, and began to look around her new surroundings. She found a metal fence nearby that had a large switch on it. 

She went towards it, seeing the switch was a power switch which she immediately flipped. Seconds later the lights around her in the area turned on. '' Yes. Finally some power.'' she muttered. She walked around looking for another way out of the mines, and all she found was a fenced in area were a barrel sat. There was something shinning on the barrel, and from what she could see it was small in size and pebble shaped. There was no way to get to it from where she was, so she tried finding another way. She walked through one of the tunnels that lead away from the lights. 

Her heart began to skip beats when she saw moonlight shinning through a large hole in the ceiling of the cave. '' Oh thank God.'' she cheered. Erza attempted to climb the slippery snow covered surface, but found it was pointless. The rocks were too slick, and too steep for her to climb without any proper gear. '' Great.'' Erza turned to face the cavern she had come from, and found something laying at her feet. There was a picture there, and her heart felt heavy when she realized who the picture was of. It was Melody, right after she had gotten a tattoo on her left shoulder. Erza left it were it was, not wanting to bring back painful memories of that night. 

What freaked her out even more than the photo was the pair of black headphones that sat nearby. They were her favorites, and she never left them behind whether she would use then or not. They were clearly broken, the cord being ripped from the right side, and the left ear piece dangling by a thread. She never touched them, and left them were they lie. She made her way back down the cavern, finding a set of old boards covering a section of the wall. She moved them aside, and found the date the twins had gone missing, and marks for how long they had been there. Someone had survived the fall, but who was the question. 

She found two more planks that had been crudely nailed together laying nearby as well. When she investigated she found the wood had been engraved with the name Ultear, and the date of the fall. '' Oh God, no.'' she muttered. That had to prove who had died, it was Ultear. Melody had to have survived somehow. She kept investigating, only being able to see more fire leaping around the ceiling from whoever was attacking the creature she kept hearing. It was shortly after she saw this that she found a way into the fenced off area were that pebble like thing lied. 

She walked over, and picked it up so it rested in her palm. It had opened up in the process, and revealed itself as a gold heart shaped locked with Melody's name engrave on the inside. The picture was of her, and Ultear together shortly before the events that had transpired that night. '' She was down here. I can't believe this.'' Erza said as she set the locket back down. She kept up her search.


	26. Chapter 26

Erza had opened an old metal door nearby soon after finding the locket. She didn't find much, but what she did find made her stomach turn with queasiness. She grabbed what she thought to be the head of an old doll, but when the head fell back with a thud she realized it was far from that. When the flurry of falling black hair fell still Ultear's face could clearly be seen. It was rotted, her skin was gray, her eyes were pure white, and her mouth hung open never to speak again. 

Erza screamed as she fell back, trying to get as far away as she could from this thing. '' No... No, Ultear... This can't be happening, no, no!'' She stood on shaky legs, and ran as far as they would carry her before she could stop. In this process she found what looked to be a back entrance for something, so wasting to time she opened it. There was light were she was, which made it easy for her to see. She found an elevator on the other side, and quickly got inside. 

Once in it, she pulled the lever, and watched as the thing slowly began to trudge upwards. Her heart sunk again when she realized it didn't go up all the way, leaving her still trapped in the mines. '' No!'' she screamed un frustration. She exited the elevator, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a man just to the right of the elevator. She pressed her back against the wooden exterior of the elevator, and stood as still as her terrified body would let her. She could hear the man's heavy footsteps echoing off the cavern walls as he got closer to her. 

When she thought she was clear, she made a break for it. Only to hear him screaming for her to come back. Did he think she was one of the creatures, or something? She didn't stop running for anything, terrified that if she did he would catch, and kill her. She saw there was a barrel of what looked like kerosene laying on its side nearby, and in one last ditch effort to lose the man she threw her light source at it. The liquid lit ablaze the second the fire touched it, and she ran past. 

Once at a safe distance after that she decided to try her luck, and hide somewhere she thought was safe. She hid behind what looked like an old panel of wooden wall, and prayed that the man wouldn't find her. She looked down to her knee with a pained look as the wound rubbed against the wooden panel, and when she looked back up she was eye to eye with the man behind the fire. 

 

 

'' Jellal?''  
'' HAHAHAHA!''  
'' Jellal!''   
'' Very good, very good. Everyone of you figured it out.'' he laughed. They were awe struck. How was this man still alive? Natsu, as well as Wendy, and Lucy had seen him get ripped in half by a saw blade. Now he was standing before them, as the mastermind behind all of the pranks, all the tricks, all the near death experiences. '' After all you've been through you still remember, Good, good, good. How does it feel?'' 

Lucy, and Gray set to work on untying Wendy, and Natsu, the two looking at him like he was the worst person on the planet. Which frankly at the moment he was. After what he put them through alone =, Gray, and Lucy didn't blame them for hating him. '' How does it feel? Do you enjoy feeling terrorized, humiliated, panicked? My sisters felt all those emotions that night a year ago only guess what? They don't get to laugh about it. Nope they're gone. Never to return to the living.'' '' You better get it through your thick skull Jellal, none of us are laughing about this.'' said Gray. 

'' Why the long faces. Come, come, come now. Come on! It's always good to get the heart racing from time to time right? And race they did, every one of you just pitter- pat! I hope you appreciated phantasmagorical spectacle back there. It was just so much fun to mess with your heads, and be the puppet master for a while. With all the fake bodies, and puppets, and fake pictures. It was great and you know it. You were hook lined, and sinkered, for every little stinker.'' said Jellal. 

'' Why did you do it Jellal?'' asked Lucy, a dark tone entering her voice. '' Don't even bother asking him. He's lost his marbles.'' said Gray. '' He's definitely off his meds.'' said Natsu. '' Aw come on you guys. Revenge is the best medicine.'' said Josh. '' That's it. You're done.'' said Gray. '' Gray, calm down. He's sick.'' said Natsu, holding his friend back from taking Jellal out right then and there. '' Come on now. You guys are going to thank me later when this makes an internet sensational out of you.'' said Jellal. '' What?'' asked Natsu. '' You better believe it. This is going viral my friends.'' 

'' Think about it we've got love, we've got blood, I don't even think there's enough hard drives in China to hold this thing.'' he said. '' What the hell are you talking about Jellal. Cana's dead because of you!'' yelled Gray. '' What?'' '' You heard me Jellal. You're going to pay!'' Natsu could get between him, and Jellal this time before his fist collided with the blue haired teens cheek, knocking him out cold right on the spot. 

 

Natsu and Gray pushed Jellal for the umpteenth time as they waded through the snow. After getting back to the lodge the group made a vote to take Jellal, and lock him in the shed outback till morning came. Then they'd call the police. '' Come on guy's. It was great while it lasted.'' said Jellal. '' Just shut up already you jerk.'' said Gray. Jellal began to mutter to himself as Natsu came up to him. '' Why did you hit her man? Why'd you do it?'' demanded Natsu. He punched Jellal right across the jaw line, catching it hard enough to make a cracking noise that thankfully wasn't his knuckles. 

Jellal fell back on the snow, and spit a small amount of blood out on the snow beneath him. '' Natsu, what are you...'' '' You punched Wendy you jerk!'' He then kicked Jellal in the stomach eliciting a loud cry of pain. Jellal recovered rather quickly, and was soon back on his feet facing the two teens. '' She made me so mad. She stabbed me.'' he argued. '' You don't hit a girl man. You just don't.'' said Natsu. 

'' Natsu.... Bro... I-'' '' I'm not your bro. Not anymore. Not after what you did.'' said Natsu. Gray stepped forward once more, and began to lead Jellal towards their destination. '' Where are we going?'' he asked. '' Where are you taking me?'' '' We're taking you to lock you up bro.'' said Gray. '' What!?'' '' You heard me. It's so you can't do anything stupid until we can call the police in the morning.'' said Gray. 

'' Please listen to me. I didn't do anything. I didn't kill anybody.'' said Jellal. '' You're a damn murderer Jellal, and you know it.'' said Gray, pushing Jellal to the ground as they went. '' Gray, please listen to me. I did NOT hurt Cana. I never tried to hurt either of you.'' said Jellal. '' Are you serious dude? Do you not understand what your actions have caused us?'' asked Natsu. '' I'm a healer man. What do you expect of me? I bring people together. Except it didn't work for you jerks.'' said Jellal. '' Enough Jellal.'' warned Gray. They finished the track to the shed with Jellal still trying to prove his innocents. 

'' I'm telling you guys I'm innocent.'' he begged. '' Just shut up already!'' Gray yelled as he tackled Jellal to the ground. They fell with a thud, one on top of the other while Jellal screamed out in pain. Gray had managed to dig a hand into his shoulder wound. '' Oh. I'm sorry, did I hurt you? Well I'm so sorry.'' Gray only dug his hand further into the wound gaining a louder scream from the boy. '' Stop already. I'm Sorry man. I swear, up and down, I have no idea what happened to Cana.'' said Jellal. 

Natsu began to grow suspicious at this point. From everything he knew at the moment it had only been he, Wendy, and Lucy pulled into the prank. Jellal had said he only set up the house, and the shed for the booby traps. Gray and Cana had been in the spare cabin out a ways from the lodge. '' Gray. Something's not right about this.'' said Natsu. '' Tell me your kidding Natsu?'' '' I'm just having a hard time believing how you and Cana were involved in this sick prank.'' said Natsu. '' Natsu, I saw with my own eyes what he did to her. Look at this.'' Gray stripped himself of the jacket he'd stolen from the mines, quickly adjusting to the cold as Natsu gazed on the blood stains coating his tank top. 

'' This is her blood. Not mine. Hers!'' said Gray, quickly throwing the jacket back on. Even with him being used to the cold, at temperatures like this he could freeze to death quickly without the jacket. '' Can't we all just get along like old pals?'' asked Jellal, a giddy like tone entering his voice. '' No!'' Gray pulled Jellal off the ground, and drug him over to a wooden post in the middle of the shed. Natsu pulled a stool over for him to sit on, which Gray quickly threw him in. The whole time he was speaking nonsense in the giddy tone from before. 

Once he was held down by Gray Natsu set to work on undoing the binds he currently had to tie them around the post. '' Stay still man.'' said Gray as he went around to help Natsu. '' Right, right, right.... Still, can't tie 'em ip if you just wiggle around.'' Jellals giddy voice returned as he began to shake around like a child on the stool. '' Josh, come on man.'' said Natsu. '' Leave me a little wiggle room huh.'' '' What does it take to keep your trap shut?'' asked Gray. The bonds pulled tight around Jellal's hands, and he yelped in pain. '' Ow! Not so tight ok. Not so tight. Like plastic ties yeah, that's where it's at. '' 

Jellal went into a whole rant about how plastic ties were the best way to keep people still while Gray pulled Natsu aside to talk for a second. '' Natsu, what is he talking about?'' asked Gray. '' Not sure, this is hard to watch.'' he admitted. '' Has he said this kind of stuff before?'' asked Gray. '' No. Never.'' Natsu admitted. '' Everyone's stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Natsu is stupid. Natsu's an ass. Wendy's a dumb dumb.'' said Jellal. '' Excuse me. What did you just say?'' asked Natsu. '' I called you a dummy dummy.'' said Jellal. '' What's wrong with you?'' asked Natsu. Jellal went off on another rant after that, which made Gray a little agitated. 

'' Head Back to the lodge Natsu, I'll stay here with Waco.'' said Gray. '' Ok then. See you in the morning.'' said Natsu. He walked out the door leaving the two alone.


	27. Chapter 27

Erza screamed as the man reached into her hiding spot to grab a hold of her arm. Her plan to hide had failed, and now she could see that he was actually much shorter than her. The thing on his back that he'd used to make the fires was almost the same size as him , also proving that he was strong. '' Let me go!'' yelled Erza. '' Shhh. Stay quiet.'' he warned. '' No, please!'' she begged. '' Shhhh.'' A horrendous screeching noise filled the air around them, and the grip on her arm fell away soon after. 

He grabbed a hold of a blue satchel around his head, and yanked it off before throwing it her way. She caught it with a breeze as he yelled to her. '' Use these, and get the hell out of here.'' He pushed her further into her hiding spot which went farther back then she originally thought, which in turn sent her falling down a steep rock face. A scream escaped her lips at first, but was quieted when she hit the bottom of the cavern, knocking all the wind from her lungs. The satchel did this again when it landed smack dab on her chest. 

It was rather heavy to hold, and from what she could tell there were small cylindrical items inside. '' What the hell just happened?'' she asked herself as she attempted to sit up. Her body screamed in protest, but she pushed on. She let the satchel sit in her lap as she opened it to reveal a handful of about four or five emergency flares. '' Jackpot.'' If she ever encountered that guy again she'd have to thank him for this. She grabbed the first one out, and slid the rest over her shoulder. Twisting the top off revealed a bright burning red light to help light her path. 

Her walk through this set of tunnels was slower than the last, for she had no clue this section of the mine's even existed. It had to have been in use at some point though, because she found a bunch of old post cards from loved ones while searching for a way out. She also found a sign that warned of this section of the mine being prone for collapsing in on itself. She tried her best to ignore it, and kept searching. There was a drop down nearby to get into another section of the cavern, and she didn't waste a second jumping down. The jump jostled her wound slightly, but it wasn't too bad thankfully. 

There were still tracks for the mine carts that she could follow, so she did just that. She followed them closely, hoping it would lead to an exit soon, or at least before what ever made that cry from before found her. The tracks began to grow closer together until there was only a small gap left for her to get through. She began to crawl through the gap slowly, but didn't get all the way before a gray scaly hand shot through the wood before her. It just missed her stomach, and retreated back as a scream tore through her throat. 

She ran the rest of the way through the gap, and found her way down the rest of the cavern. Just her luck in the middle of all her running she found what looked to be the last of the elevators she needed to take her to the surface. She wasted no time in running towards it, and pulling the lever to power it. The thing was pulled upwards, and she curled up on herself lie it was her only life source. 

'' Keep it together Erza. Keep it together.'' she told herself. She never stopped running when she made it to the moonlit surface. She did everything she could think of to stop the creatures advance. She knocked over a few kerosene barrels, and lit them a blaze with the flare in her hand. She left it were the fire was, and kept running up the belt used to get larger rocks to the grinder. She had flipped it on by mistake, sending her body slowly towards either her death, or her salvation. 

She could clearly hear the grinder now, and in one final leap of faith she lept over the grinder, landing safely on the other side. Leaving the grinder behind she kept running until she found a large set of double wood doors. She hid behind them, and locked them with the small lock from the outside. At last she felt she was safe. She let a sigh of relief flood her body before it was ripped away by the pain that followed. The creature had busted through the door enough to stick its head through, and bite her shoulder. Erza ripped the creature off her body, and was on the run once again. 

Thankfully to her there was a sort of zip line nearby, and just as the creature had broken through the door she had grabbed the line, and was whizzed away. The line didn't fully reach the ground, so she was forced to let go before then. She tumbled through the snow for a few seconds before coming to a stop. Her body was very sore, and throbbed, but she continued to run until she reached the lodge doors. Thank her luck for landing her as close as she was. 

Once she reached the doors she pounded on the wood, screaming at the top of her lungs. '' LET ME IN! PLEASE LET ME IN!'' she screamed. She heard mumbled voices coming from inside, and the next thing she knew the door was flying open. She fell forward into the door, and quickly began scooting herself away from it with the help of Wendy, and Lucy. '' SHUT THE DOOR! SHUT THE DOOR!'' she yelled. Natsu shoved the door shut, and turned to Erza who was being helped off the floor. '' Erza, are you ok?'' he asked. 

'' I didn't think I'd make it.'' she said. '' You were screaming bloody murder.'' said Natsu. '' I don't know what I was doing.'' she admitted. '' Are you ok?'' '' You look wiped Erza.'' said the girls. '' There was something-'' '' Where's Loke Erza?'' '' Bring her over here. She needs to sit down.'' said Lucy. They lead her towards the couch, bombarding her with questions. None of them had seen her since she left with Loke to get help, for Lucy since she went to take a bath. 

'' There was something up there. It was like a monster or something.'' she spoke. '' Wait, Erza, what happened to you, are you ok?'' asked Natsu. '' I-I'm fine. I don't feel any pain right now. I just need to calm down. Oh God, it was moving so damn fast.'' she spoke. '' What?'' '' I had to get away.'' '' Away from what Erza?'' asked Lucy. '' There was this thing. Whatever it was, it-'' '' Erza, you need to relax. I think it was just Jellal messing with you. He did the same to us.'' said Lucy. '' You're not listening to me.'' said Erza. '' Erza, Where's Loke? He was with you.'' said Natsu. Erza's face grew sad for a moment as she looked towards her feet. 

'' We couldn't use the cable car to get down the mountain. So we climbed the fire tower, and it fell into the mines. It was deep down, There was no light getting through to us then.'' Erza was cut off by Natsu. '' Hold up a second.'' '' No. It was Loke and I down there, and...... I heard him scream out for help...... I-I think he might be dead.'' said Erza. '' No. He can't be dead.'' said Wendy, backing up into the couch cushions to pull her knees to her chest. '' That's not all. When I was searching for a way out I found some sort of pile, and..... and there was Ultear's head.'' she said. '' What?'' '' I found Ultear's head. I'm not lying.'' she told them. 

Wendy began to shake slightly in fear next to Erza, and the older red head set a hand on her shoulder to try and calm the young girl. '' Are you serious?'' asked Lucy. '' Yeah! everything I said is the truth.'' said Erza. '' I think they fell down there when they got lost.'' she added. '' This is madness.'' muttered Natsu. '' The worst thing about that is I don't think Melody died. Like, right away I mean. She must've been starving to death for weeks, and we had no clue about it.'' said Erza. '' What do you mean?'' asked Wendy. '' I just have this feeling like she was down there. She starved for weeks while we searched above ground.'' she said, the emotion in her voice showing much more than before.

'' This is terrible.'' said Natsu. '' Listen. When we were in the tower we found a radio, and I was able to get a hold of someone, but the tower collapsed soon after.'' she explained. Erza would've continued with her story, but stopped when she heard heavy footsteps running up from another room. Gray appeared moments later panting from running to the lodge. His eyes landed firmly on Erza, who looked overjoyed to see him, but also sad from the events she had come to see. '' Erza. You're ok.'' he said aloud. '' Yeah. I'm alright.'' she said, not moving from her place on the couch. '' Where's Loke?'' asked Gray. '' Where trying to figure that out ourselves.'' said Wendy. 

'' She said there was some sort of monster chasing her.'' Natsu explained. '' She's been through a lot, maybe she's not thinking strait.'' said Gray. '' I'm not messed up in the...'' Erza was pulled from her sentence when she heard something banging on the door to the lodge. '' Whoa.'' '' What could that be?'' asked Gray. '' Josh maybe.'' suggested Wendy. '' Or maybe it's Cana.'' said Natsu. '' No, it can't be Cana.'' said Gray. '' Then who could it be?'' asked Natsu. '' Let's check it out.'' said Gray. '' I've got your back.'' said Natsu. '' Good.'' The two hurried over to the door, Gray gripping tightly to the pistol he had found. 

He kept it pointed at the door, and Natsu stepped up to open the door to great the person with a face full of pistol lead. '' On my mark. One..... Two...... THREE!'' Natsu opened the door, and found himself thrown off his feet, and back onto his back. The door swung open, and Gray took a step back as she short man that Erza had run into walked through the door. '' Ok man. Just stand down.'' warned Gray. '' Put that stupid thing away already you child. I'm not here to hurt any of you.'' he said. '' Not get over there. Go on, I'm only going to say what I came to say.'' he told them. Natsu stood from the ground with Gray's help, and the two headed back towards the others were the quickly took a seat at the couch. 

The man took off the mask he wore over his face to reveal that he was an older gentleman. He was balding, but had a good amount of hair on his head still. '' I'm here to tell you all what you're up against being back here on the mountain. I'm only going to say it once, so listen up.''


	28. Chapter 28

'' You shouldn't have returned. I have no way to fathom why you lot would after what happened last year.'' he said. '' You mean with Melody, and Ultear?'' asked Lucy. '' How do you know that without being involved?'' asked Natsu. '' Hold onto your horses. I don't take kindly to kids coming up here to my mountain.'' he said in a gruff voice. '' Hold up. I bet that Jellal's family has something else to say about that.'' said Gray. Sure he thought his friend was a total jerk, but his parents still owned the mountain. '' True this mountain doesn't belong to me, but it does belong to something.'' he said. 

'' Who?'' asked Wendy. '' The wendigo.'' he said strait out. '' Wait, who again?'' asked Natsu. '' What are you talking about?'' asked Lucy. '' Guy's we should hear him out.'' said Erza. '' Not like we have a choice in the matter.'' stated Gray. '' I don't care whether you believe me or not, so listen up. There are things I've just gotta get off my chest.'' he said. '' I told you. He's guilty as shit.'' said Gray. '' Shut it Gray.'' snapped Lucy. '' There's a curse that dwells in these mountains.'' the man continued, ignoring Grays guilty comment. 

'' If any man or woman were to resort to cannibalism while in these woods, the spirit of the wendigo shall be unleashed.'' '' Ok crap.'' muttered Gray. Memories began to fly back to when Cana had been dragged through the window, and when he had been trapped in that building. He had seen the wendigo, with his own two eyes. It had killed Cana, not Jellal. Now he felt an empty pit of guiltiness filling his insides. '' You all need to find a safe place.'' the man continued. '' Maybe the basement.'' Lucy suggested. '' Ok. Get down there now, all of you, and wait.'' he said. '' For how long?'' asked Lucy.

'' Until dawn?'' Erza asked, skepticism filling her voice. '' Guys. When I heard Erza screaming I ran off. Jellal is still in the shed all alone.'' said Gray. '' I'm sorry, but your friend will already be dead by now.'' he said. '' No, no he can't be.'' Natsu said, ignoring the man's words. '' Kid, a lot can happen on this mountain.'' said the man. '' I won't believe he's dead until I see it for myself. I'm going back out there to get him.'' Natsu said. '' No Natsu, you can't.'' Wendy almost whined. '' I'm supposed to be his best friend, and I let him down.'' he said. '' No, he let you down Natsu. As he did to the rest of us here.'' said Wendy. '' I don't care what he did, I'm going to get him. Whether you guys like it or not.'' Natsu said. 

'' Then I'll go with you.'' the man said. '' I don't need your help gramps.'' Natsu said. '' Son, going out there alone is suicide. You won't make it.'' the man stated. '' Fine.'' Natsu gave in. '' The rest of you. Get down to the basement, and be safe.'' the man said. '' And don't go outside until we've returned.'' he added. He turned to face Natsu, and pulled the kid down so they were both at eye level. '' You don't seem to understand the magnitude of the situation here boy.'' he said. '' I'm going to get Jellal aren't I?'' '' No. I'm going to get Jellal, you're going to help me. Dou you understand?'' he asked. '' Yeah, I think so.'' Natsu answered. 

'' Then you follow me, and do everything I tell you.'' the man said. The two made their way towards the back door, leaving the group behind back at the couch. Once at the door the man reached behind him, and pulled a shot gun out from behind his flame thrower. '' This is the end you point at the thing you want to kill.'' he said, pointing at the end of the gun. '' I know how to shoot a shot gun.'' said Natsu. '' Trust me. You don't.'' the man said. He turned to open the door, and as he did so there was the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Natsu turned around only to find a head of blue burry itself into his chest. 

Natsu took in a breath of air when he realized it was actually Wendy. '' Natsu, please come back safe and sound.'' she practically begged him. '' I will.'' he said, wrapping an arm around her as well. '' Son, we need to go now.'' the man said. '' I understand.'' Natsu pulled Wendy off him, and looked her in the eyes. '' I'll see you soon.'' he said. He followed the man out the door, and herd the soft click of the lock behind him when Wendy closed the door. She never left eh glass panels as the two walked along to find the shed. 

'' So, uh. You're an expert on these things right? Think you can fill me in a little?'' Natsu asked as they walked along. '' Just try to be careful.'' the man said. '' You follow my lead.'' he added. '' How many times will it take to kill this thing with a shot gun?'' asked Natsu. '' You'll be shooting a long time kid.'' '' Wait, you mean these things are useless against them?'' asked Natsu. '' They're not useless, but they won't kill them.'' the man said. '' Then what does kill it?'' '' They don't like fire.'' he said. '' Why not, fire's awesome.'' Natsu stated. 

'' They fear it unlike you. And it can kill them. Their skin is like tough armor, unless you burn it off first.'' he said. '' That's gross, but what are these things like? Are they just crazy unpredictable, or can you find out what they'll do?'' asked Natsu. '' They do stick to some patters, but most are very unpredictable.'' the man told him. '' A lot like an animal, or human.'' he added. '' Do they hunt on schedules?'' asked Natsu. '' They only hunt at night.'' the man said. 

'' Why's that?'' '' I didn't ask.'' '' Is there a way to avoid them if you get close?'' asked Natsu. '' If you stand really still they can't see you. A lot like toads. Their sight is based off changes in movement in their field of vision.'' he said. '' So if I don't move then I'm completely invisible?'' '' Basically, but I wouldn't recommend testing it. They'll have other ways I bet to find you, and snuff you out like a light.'' 

'' Do these wendigo still have a bit of humanity in them?'' asked Natsu. '' They can retain certain things.'' '' Than isn't it a bad thing to kill them? I mean, maybe they can be cured in a way.'' Natsu said. '' Their right were surrendered to the spirit when they resorted to cannibalism. There's no cure, or redemption.'' '' But if they're still human I don't know if its right to hurt them.'' Natsu said. '' Tell me that again when you're staring one in the face, it's either them, or you.'' the man said. The shed was in view now, and the two had stopped their back and forth conversation to focus on what might be up ahead. 

Natsu ran around to the where they had left Jellal, the man from before not far behind. Natsu stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the small stool he had been sitting on toppled over. There was a little blood splatter next to it, and he couldn't tell whether it was fake, or not. The lantern from the table was laying on its side flickering away with the last bit of oil from it. '' Oh no.'' he mumbled. '' What happened?'' Natsu stood from where he had knelt down to examine the ground more. '' We were too late.'' Natsu said. '' Quiet boy.'' the man said. 

The man stuck his head out the door for a second, before pulling back in to look as Natsu. '' We've gotta go. Now!'' '' No. We haven't found Jellal yet.'' Natsu argued. '' The wendigo will render you immobile. Then he strips the skin from your entire body, piece by piece. He then keeps you alive, while feasting on you organs one piece at a time.'' the man said. That was enough to convince Natsu not to go any further with the search. '' So to the lodge then.'' he suggested. '' Right. Let's go now, and be careful. It might still be near.'' he said. 

They stepped out of the shed, and slowly made their way around the building. They were only a few paces away from the building before the man held a hand out towards Natsu. '' Don't move. Don't move a muscle.'' he warned. '' Stay quiet.'' he added. Natsu looked around with his eyes, trying his best to see what the man was warning him about. He turned a little too far, and set a foot out to steady himself. His foot landed on top of a branch nearby, and it snapped giving off a loud crack that rung in his ears. He knew all to well of what his actions could bring to come. 

They both heard something running at them, and the next thing he knew the man was yelling for Natsu to run. '' Run! Run, and don't stop!'' They ran for maybe a few feet, and before he knew it there was a wendigo on the path. The thing looked horrid. It was gray in color, its skin almost like wrinkled paper. It's teeth stuck out in strange fangs, and it's eyes were milky white. '' WHAT THE HELL! OH MY GOD!'' Natsu yelled. The man shot flames from the flamethrower at the creature, and it leapt back into the brush around them. 

'' STAY BACK! BACK!'' the man shouted. '' What the hell was that?!'' Natsu yelled. '' The wendigo. It's found us. We're right out in the open, we've got to get out of here.'' the man yelled. That was the last thing Natsu heard from him before a horrid screech filled his ears as a slicing noise followed. When Natsu looked back there was blood soaking the snow, and the man's head had fallen to the now crimson shaded snow. '' NO! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!'' Natsu screamed. '' Oh shit.'' He saw the thing leap down from around the trees, and he was able to get the gun up in time to shoot it before he was also killed. 

'' Suck it.'' he yelled. Once the thing was down he took off back down the path. His heart was racing a mile a minute, all his instincts pushing to one thing. Get out alive, don't stop running, get out alive. He nearly dodged a fallen branch, and when he looked back the wendigo was sitting on the branch, preparing the lunge at him. He threw the gun up, and shot it again. The thing flew back into the brush, and Natsu took the moment to run once more. There was a drop down he had to jump over. And when he landed he felt his ankle twist out to the side from the impact. There was a snapping sound in his foot, and he was overtaken by pain. '' OW! DAMN IT!'' he shouted. 

He tried his best to ignore the pain, and jumped back to his feet to get back to the lodge. It was right in front of him, only a few feet away. The wendigo appeared between him, and the door, and he had to thank his luck because there was something behind the creature that he could shoot. He shot the object, and it blew up sending fire up towards the sky. The creature hit him, and he could swear it left a cut on his face, but he was still intact. He recovered from the attack quickly, and dashed towards the door. Wendy was waiting there for him, and she pulled the door open before he fell inwards. 

'' SHUT THE DOOR! SHUT IT, HURRY!'' he shouted. She threw the door closed, and turned her attention to Natsu. '' Natsu, what happened out there?'' asked Wendy. '' The wendigo. It attacked us. argh..... I think My ankles broken.'' he said. Wendy looked back to the door, and saw that the wendigo was sitting just outside the door, almost as if it was tempting her to open the door. '' OH MY GOD!'' she screamed. Footsteps ran up behind them, and soon Gray was pulling Natsu to him feet. He put the slightest amount of weight on his foot, and was met with searing pain. '' GAHH..... Don't, that hurts.'' Natsu said. '' Suck it up for now, I'm trying to save your life.'' he said. He looped one arm under Natsu's, while his other held firmly onto his side. '' Wendy, come on.'' Gray yelled. She followed the teen back towards the basement as they heard the creature trying to leap through the door at them.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, the story is going to be a little different here from the actual events of the game. Just a quick warning for those who haven't seen the original thing.

Gray, along with Natsu and Wendy, ran through the basement door once it was open. '' Oh my god. Are you guy's ok?'' asked Erza, noticing how Gray was supporting Natsu's weight. '' Natsu may have broken his ankle.'' said Gray. '' What happened out there?'' asked Lucy.'' Yeah, uh. I don't think it's a good idea to be up there right now.'' Natsu mumbled as he sat down on top of one of the tables. '' Natsu, where's that flamethrower guy?'' asked Lucy. '' Yeah he uh...... He didn't make it.'' he said. 

'' What happened to him?'' asked Erza. The thing it.... It tore his apart. It ripped his head off right in front of me.'' he said, not making eye contact with anyone. '' Oh god.'' Lucy mumbled. '' Are these all the doors?'' asked Gray. '' Yeah.'' Lucy answered. '' Are you sure?'' he asked again. '' Gray, what are you looking for?'' asked Lucy. '' Another way out of this hell hole.'' he said. '' Gray..... I don't think that's a good idea. We need to stay here until dawn like the man told us to.'' Lucy argued. '' At least we're safe down here.'' she added. '' No. We're all wrapped up like a little present for that creature to tear open on Christmas morning.'' Gray argued. '' People will come for us. In the morning.'' Lucy said. 

'' You don't sound so sure there Lucy.'' Gray stated. '' That's what will happen. Right Erza?'' asked Lucy, looking towards the red head. '' I'm pretty sure, I was able to get a message out so there's a chance.'' Erza said. '' Well then you can wait.'' Gray took off towards one of the doors. '' Mike where are you going. There's no way out of here, and the cable car is useless without the keys.'' Erza stated. '' Jellal has to have them. I'm going to go find him. '' he said. '' And if Jellal doesn't have them, even if you find him?'' asked Lucy. '' Then we're out of luck.'' 

'' I don't know. It may be possible, but then again we can't be certain.'' said Erza. '' It may have taken him down into the mines for all we know.'' she added. '' What?'' '' I saw some horrible stuff down there. I think that thing, the wendigo, lives down there.'' Erza stopped talking when she saw something poking out of her back. She grabbed the rectangular object, and realized it was a journal. '' Huh.'' '' What is it?'' asked Lucy. '' I'm going to get it whether it's the last thing I do guys.'' Gray said. 

'' Erza, where did you find this?'' asked Lucy. '' It was in that old guys bag, the one he threw at me while in the mines.'' she said. '' There's a map here.'' said Lucy. '' This guy was prepared for anything.'' said Erza. '' Not quite.'' muttered Gray. '' What's this place?'' asked Lucy, looking over the poorly drawn map. '' I.... I think that was the place I stumbled upon while looking for Cana. It was horrible.'' he said. '' Some of the miners down there survived, fifteen didn't. They knew the mine's were a death trap, but they let the miners work it anyway.'' he added. 

'' Guys, can we please focus on trying to find a way out of here?'' asked Wendy, looking up to the group from where she stood by Natsu. '' I'm just trying to say how much crazy stuff has gone on up here, aside from what's happening now.'' said Gray. '' No, what's weird is that there's a tunnel leading from under the lodge to the Sanatorium.'' said Erza, pointing to the indication of a tunnel on the map. '' I know, that's how I got back here.'' said Gray. '' I also saw this when I was down there, and I'm pretty sure that's where it lives.'' said Erza, pointing to the mine shafts on the map. Erza felt a hand on her shoulder for a moment, followed by a stinging pain where the wendigo had bitten her before. 

'' Oh my god. Erza, what is that?'' asked Wendy. She spun around to look down at the girl, who was looking at the bite with fear bursting from her eyes. Wendy began to back up as her face began to grow with fear, and terror. '' Wendy... Wendy listen it's nothing. It just bit me I think.'' Erza said. '' It bit you. What bit you Erza?'' she asked, backing into the table next to Natsu. '' The wendigo I believe. It's nothing really, it doesn't even hurt.'' said Erza. '' Erza, if that thing bit you....'' '' I know what you're thinking Gray, and I'm fine honestly.'' she tried to tell them. 

'' Are you?'' '' Yes.'' Erza pleaded. '' Erza, at least let us check it out. Whether harmless or not it's still a bite, and it could get infected.'' said Lucy. Her trying to be the voice of reason wasn't going so well thanks to Gray jumping her case. '' Lucy, don't try to reason. That man said if a person resorts to cannibalism on the mountain they turn into one. What if it's the same for people who are bitten by one?'' he asked. '' That's ridiculous Gray.'' she argued. '' He said it was from eating each other. If it bit you who knows if you'll turn into one.'' said Wendy. Natsu put an arm around the girls shoulder to try and calm her down. He could feel her shoulder shaking under his hand. 

'' You can't stay down here with us Erza. You've got to go.'' said Gray. '' You can't do this Gray.'' argued Erza. '' You're putting us all in danger. If you turn into one of them we'll all die.'' he said. '' So you'd rather risk having he killed for something you can't prove will happen?'' she asked, anger filling her voice. Even now Gray stood his ground, which was a feat in itself because no one ever dared to stand up to Erza Scarlet. '' Gray, just let it go. It's just a bite. If anything happens we can handle it.'' said Lucy. '' You won't be able to. If it happens it will be too late.'' said Natsu. '' Natsu. Are you seriously siding with him?'' asked Lucy. '' I am, but at the same time I'm not. I've seen what those things can do. They're lightning fast. I don't want to see it again, but I don't want to lose a close friend either.'' said Natsu. 

'' Wendy?'' asked Lucy, looking over to the blue haired girl. '' I don't know what to believe.'' she said, pushing herself back against Natsu as if he could shield her from this. '' Go Erza.'' said Gray. '' I'm not going.'' she said. Gray's hand began to reach for the pistol. He gripped it in his hand, and held it up to Erza's face. '' Erza, this is the safe room. I'll do whatever I have to so no one else dies.'' he said. '' Gray. Don't do this.'' warned Lucy. '' Gray, put the weapon away.'' warned Erza in a threatening tone. She didn't back down from the weapon like most people would've by now. Everyone just stood there for some time, until someone finally approached Gray. '' That's enough man.'' 

Natsu forced the gun from his friends hand, and dropped it at his feet. '' No one else is dying unless we are for certain there's no hope.'' said Natsu. Gray just slumped forward as curses rolled past his lips. Erza's form slouched over slightly, glad she was not about to get a face full of lead. Yes she was angry at Gray about this, but she had to keep her calm until they could talk it out. That clearly wasn't happening until they either made it out, or died. 

'' Like I said before. I'm going back out there. Keep an eye on Erza, if anything happens you know what to do.'' he said. '' We understand.'' said Lucy. '' Don't go back out there. It's not safe, and If I don't make it back wait for help to arrive.'' he said. Gray took off out the door with the machete still on his belt. The room fell silent as everyone began to relax. '' I seriously thought he was going to kill me for a moment there.'' said Erza, sitting on the table next to Lucy. Wendy had helped Natsu back to a chair to take a look at his leg since she hadn't had a chance to yet. 

'' Natsu will need a splint for his leg. What there anything in that bag that may help?'' asked Wendy. '' No. All that was there was the flared, the map, and the.....'' Erza stopped dead in her tracks for a moment. '' Erza?'' '' The book. The answer may be in the book.'' she stated. '' What are you talking about?'' asked Lucy. '' The man's journal. Remember, we found it.'' she said. She stood from the table, and raced over to where they had left it. '' Try reading through this. It may lead to some clues about what the bite really does. Until we find something I'll help Wendy with Natsu's splint.'' said Erza. '' I feel you're just making me do this because I'm a book worm.'' said Lucy. '' You're not a book worm. Your friend Levy is my friend.'' said Erza. 

'' Whatever.'' said Lucy. She sat at the only chair in the room, while the two girls behind her searched for something to splint Natsu's leg with. When Lucy opened the book the first few pages were covered in hand drawings of the creature. They looked just as terrible in drawing form as what they had to look like in real form. '' This guy's a little OCD.'' she muttered. She flipped a few pages, and found some information about the mine disaster from way back when the mine was still in use. From what the man had written it looked like the wendigo had appeared thanks to the miners who had eaten each other when the mine collapsed. 

'' Creepy.'' Lucy flipped a few more pages, and found some hand written notes about what these creatures could do to people. Almost all the information she read was the same as what the man had told Natsu when they had left to find Jellal. There was a bold sentence towards the end that was circled. When she read it, it said. '' The bites are harmless. The scratches are harmless. Oh my god.'' Lucy muttered. '' What's the matter?'' asked Erza. '' The book. It says the bites aren't infectious. They don't do anything.'' said Lucy. 

'' So I'm going to be ok?'' asked Erza. '' Yes.'' said Lucy. Erza let a sigh of relief pass her lips as Lucy kept reading. '' Thank God. I thought for sure that something bad was bound to happen.'' she mumbled. '' No. No, no, no, no.'' Lucy began to pace the room while she read. '' What's the matter Lucy?'' asked Wendy. She tied off the splint, causing Natsu to grunt in pain when his ankle jerked back to its normal shape. At least he can try to walk on it now. '' We've gotta find Gray. Now.'' she said. '' He said we shouldn't leave.'' said Natsu. '' He's in danger. Let's go.'' said Lucy. 

Erza looked back towards Wendy and Natsu, watching as the blue haired girl tried to help him up to his feet. They hobbled after Lucy going at a slow pace, but none of them thought to grab the gun Gray had left behind.

 

Gray walked through the metal door that lead into the sanatorium from the tunnel. He felt so guilty for thinking there was only one choice of action to take thanks to Erza's bite, but he still had no clue of the truth that he wouldn't come to know for a long while. He shut the metal doors heavily, and made sure they were locked up tight once more. There was debris all around the hallways he wound his way through. They were rather dark, even with the flashlight he had on him. He made his way up a set of stairs when he came upon them, and found himself in the same place he had been before. 

The first thing he noticed was that the two wolves from before were gone. Gray knew the two had been left right where he stood when he found the tunnels, and now they were gone. He thought a few things could have transpired to them, one being that the wendigo had caught and slaughtered them. For some reason though that didn't sound right, for the man said it only went after people. Then again he could be wrong, and they ate just about anything they found to consist of meat. 

There was a huge lighted cork board towards the right wall that he hadn't seen before. It consisted of a map very similar to the one he left with the others, as well as a few old photos. The man must've been using it before going to help them. Gray pushed the thought of the man aside, and forced himself back to his mission. He had to find Jellal, if he was still alive.


	30. Chapter 30

Gray walked along the hallways he had walked only a few hours before. He hadn't had a clue of the true demon a top the mountain, so now that he knew he wanted this mission over with fast. With the amount of space in the sanatorium the wendigo's could be hiding anywhere. He found an area of the place where he could drop down to a lower section of the sanatorium, so he did just that. He dropped down with a thug, landing in a fenced in area with a table that thanks to his luck had a gun on it. 

It was much larger than the small pistol he had found before, and right next to it sat a huge box with tons of ammunition inside. There was a torch sitting with them, which he lit quickly with the lighter in his pocket that somehow still worked. The torch came to life quickly to his surprise, and as he held it in one hand he shoved bullets into his pockets. He made sure he had enough for a few rounds of shooting, even though he had no clue what they would do against the wendigo. As far as any of them knew, Natsu was the only one who knew to kill them with fire. 

Gray took the gun off the table next, examining the thing carefully for a second. '' This will be good enough for me.'' he muttered. This man must've had all kinds of weapons down here somewhere, and he just happened to find one. He carried the torch in one hand, while the gun rested in the other, and he left the room which lead back into the room he had just been in. 

He found an area of the wall where it had been broken open, and it lead to a small cemetery of sorts. There were about six, maybe seven crosses lined up in two lines. No names were carved into them, or dates for that matter. They were basically unmarked graves at this point, because the wood looked ready to rot away come next year's harsh winter. There was nowhere else to go from here so he turned back towards the room he had just come from. There was one room he had been unable to check before, now that he had a gun he could. 

Gray found the fence like door from before, and let his eyes fall to the large padlock resting on it. He shoved a bullet into the gun, and let the loud bang resonate off the walls. His ears rung for a moment or two, but soon fell back to their normal state. He entered the now unlocked section of the building. The first thing his eyes found almost made him want to jump for joy. The wolf he had found a while back on his last trip through these corridors had chosen then and there to waltz its way in. The wolf looked up to Gray, and immediately trotted over. '' Hey there little guy.'' 

Gray bent down to eye level with the pooch, and set the torch down to pet the wolfs rather matted, and dusty fur. '' You found me again huh? You're coming with me this time.'' he said as he stood back up. '' Wolfie. Follow me.'' he said, heading towards another section of the building that lead out to the snow. Gray saw the wolf run up ahead, and decided to follow him, not wanting him to get to far up ahead. 

There was a tunnel like thing set up leading from one thing to the other, probably to keep the psych patients from running off in the night, or during the day. When he reached the fenced door on the other side he heard the wolf barking at something, and when he caught up he saw there was nothing there. It was like the dog was reacting to a spirit maybe, but Gray couldn't tell. '' Relax bud. No need to go do that.'' he said, rubbing the wolfs ear. He opened the door, and walked in only to find a huge barred door blocking his path. There was a lever nearby that thankfully would open the door. He pulled it, but instead of opening all the way it only went partially open. 

'' Great. Just great.'' he mumbled. Gray approached the door from the side, hoping he could wiggle his way through the opening, but his chest was a little to large to do this. He carefully set his hands on the bars, and pushed towards the other wall. It opened up just slightly giving him enough room to move through the rest of the way. When he got on the other side the heard the wolf pad up behind him. '' Better that than nothing.'' he muttered. The wolf only looked away from him, before running off once more. 

Gray began to think about just leaving the creature here, but he didn't want to do that. It may be his best warning of an attack, or it could help him find Jellal. Either way, he needed the creatures help. So he decided to chase after him once more in the hopes of catching up. After making his way down a few stairs, and a hallway he found the wolf. He was growling at something dark hanging from the bars of what looked like a cell. When he held the light of his torch up to it he realized it was the carcass of a bear. The head hung limply to one side, and its stomach was torn open revealing all its ribs, and organs. 

It hadn't begun to rot yet, telling him whatever had killed this may still be close by. '' Man. This is so disgusting.'' he muttered. The wolf kept growling at the dead animal even after Gray had calmed it down some. '' What the hell have I gotten myself into?'' he asked himself. The wolf suddenly stopped growling as its head jerked to the right. It took a few small steps before walking towards what had gotten his attention. Gray followed the wolf once more after investigating a door nearby. It was a huge steel door that had been bent almost in half with blood splatter, and claw marks coating the shinning surface. The things were made to never break, so what could've broken it. 

Gray felt he already knew the answer to that, so he left the thing behind. He felt like he was just getting deeper into the building than he should be. If that was the case then he was screwed because he hadn't been through any of this side of the sanatorium yet. At one point he stumbled into one of the rooms and found an old video real hooked up to a camera. He saw there was still power going to it, so he turned the camera on. The projection shot to the wall showing Gray nothing but white for a few seconds before starting a very old black and white tape. It started with a lady wearing an old nurses uniform feeding something unidentifiable to a patient strapped to a chair of sorts. It wasn't by will that he ate it, the nurse basically shoved the stuff into the man's throat, and left him there. 

The clip cut out for a second to show the man after a good deal of time. Gray watched as he slowly broke each, and every bond that held him down. His arm's, and head were first. Followed by his legs, and soon he was free of the prison chair. The man then turned where he sat, and proceeded to climb the wall behind him, completely disappearing from the shot when he reached the ceiling. The video cut again to reveal that the nurse was back. She looked around in confusion when she realized the patient was gone, that is, until she looked up. When she did her body froze, and without the sound Gray only had the motion of her lips to indicate that she was screaming. 

She ran towards the camera as the patient began to crawl back down the wall, and soon there was a flash of the creature on the real before it vanished. The camera stopped playing soon after. '' What the hell was going on around here?'' Gray asked himself. He turned the camera off, and leapt back to his path to find his way back to the wolf. Instead he found a wooden door that had light passing through the cracks. He shoved his body against it a few times before the door caved it. On the other side sat what looked like a cell of sorts. It was locked, so Gray decided to shoot the lock to get inside. 

The door swung open after a shot right into the lock. He kicked it down, and what he saw next made his stomach turn slightly. There was a dead man sitting in the middle of the cell on a wheelie chair. '' Who the heck is this?'' Gray approached the decaying body, which was basically a bit of tissue, and bone by now. There was a paper of sorts sitting in his lap, so Gray took it which left the dead man's hand swinging from the movement. Gray couldn't read what it said very well. But what he could make out was this. 

They're dying outside. I hear them screaming, and crying. This hell is my only legacy. The gods will punish me for my mistakes. No escaping my fate, death awaits me now. 

The name was unreadable. All he could make out of it was the first name Jefferson. The rest was so scribbled that the man who lay dead in front of him may have been the only one to be able to read it. He left the cell after returning the paper to the man's lap. He left the caved in door, and found his path once more.


	31. Chapter 31

When Gray stumbled into another one of the rooms he found an old desk at the opposite end from him. To find some more clues about the place he began to rummage through the files lining the desk. One of them caught his eye because in big bold letters on the front it read '' Confidential.'' Gray didn't miss a beat in opening the file, and he began to shift through the papers. The file seemed to be filled with information on the surviving minors from the cave in so long ago. All of them had many problems such as PTSD, and other things along those lines. There were pictures of them as they seemed to be changing in a way. 

They began to resemble the creature that he had seen outside the window when he had pulled Natsu and Wendy to the basement after going to find Jellal. Slowly over time their images distorted until their photo's resembled the wendigo. '' This is unbelievable.'' said Gray. He left the desk behind him, and when he re-entered the hall he felt completely and utterly lost. '' Well this is great.'' he mumbled. He trusted what his gut feelings told him, and took a left towards where he had come from before. 

He walked down that hall for some time, and after that time passed his gut feeling began to feel right because he found the wolf. He had been waiting for Gray to catch up to keep going. Once Gray was caught up he followed the wolf towards the right again, and the chase was on once more. He never noticed however the shadow of a humanoid creature looming over him. 

Gray came across a huge room with all sorts of cell blocks inside. He saw the wolf was facing one of them, so he ran over to him. '' Hey bud. What's up?'' he asked. Gray suddenly heard a screeching sound, and when he looked up there it was. The wendigo was sitting on a crate ready to lunge at him at any second. Gray pulled the gun up, and fired a bullet into the creatures chest sending it back into the cell. '' How does that feel you damn freak?'' asked Gray. He saw that there was a staircase across the cell, so while the creature was down and out he made a run for it. 

The wolf followed him through with his plan, but sadly so did the wendigo. He ran as far as he could before coming to a cross roads. He could either go left, or keep running straight. He decided to risk it, and took a shot towards the left. He ran inside the little doorway with curses flying past his lips the whole way. Once through the door he realized that his torch had gone out. More curses later, and then there was a set of drawers in front of the door that was now closed. It was the only thing between him, and a blood thirsty wendigo. He accidentally got to close to a metal plate that was holed out in the middle, and a second later the wendigos head had popped through. 

He saw the thing was trying to get through to him, and n a last ditch effort he reached for the machete at his belt, and hit the thing in the head with it. The creature howled in pain as it retreated through the metal plate. '' GET OUT! STAY THE HELL AWAY!'' he yelled as he ran in the opposite direction of the door. He found another doorway which blocked off the room he had just been in, and threw the door shut. Making sure the lock was tight, he slowly backed away to see if it would hold. When nothing happened he turned when he heard a wine, and found that the wolf had been waiting there for him. 

'' Good dog. Good dog, it's going to be ok.'' me mumbled to the creature. he turned to face the rest of the room, but fell to his knees by a table when he saw the wendigo jump down from the ceiling. He prayed to God that the creature hadn't seen him move any. His thinking was that if he stayed still the thing probably couldn't find him. His prayer was answered when the creature jumped across the table to look in the opposite direction of where he was currently moving in. he was able to get around it without the thing following him, which was a feat in itself. He whispered to himself that the thing should come out soon or else ''he's getting a face full of lead.'' He crept down the next hallway slowly with Wolfe following close behind. '' Where are you?'' he mumbled. 

He heard a screech, which caused him to jump, but nothing came after him. He should've known that from the get-go. The noise was too far off to be close enough to get him. He slowly went down the hall, and almost lost it when a hand came out at him. When he looked over there was a wendigo standing there against the bars of a cage. It's arm was flailing around at him as if that would help to catch its prey. He didn't shoot the creature this time because he was of no harm to him behind bars. The second time it lunged at the bars it was enough to send him falling backwards in surprise, and send Wolfe running off. 

As Gray went down the hall he realized that this was where the man must've been hiding the wendigo down there as he caught them. He was at least smart enough to hide them behind bars so they couldn't get free. The one that wasn't behind bars at least had a chain on its neck that would pull it back inside the cell if it got too far away. There was one wendigo however that was still loose, and it was currently running right at Gray. He ran as fast as his tired legs would carry his body, and soon he was caught at the same place as Wolfe, a dead end. There was a door there, but Gray knew the dog couldn't open it on its own. 

The dog growled at the wendigo when it was in eye sight, and Gray decided it was time to get that door open. He used both arms, and was able to get a big enough opening for himself, and Wolfe. He turned back to the scene, and saw that the wendigo was almost on top of him. A quick shot to the chest later said otherwise. Somehow though another appeared when it got back up. It must've gotten free of the bars or something. Gray could see out of the corner of his eyes that there was a barrel full of kerosene. 

He pulled the barrel over on its side, and rolled it down towards the creatures. The simply avoided it, and when Gray saw it was at a good distance he held out his gun and shot the thing. It exploded in a burst of flames. The creatures screeched in pain, and then it was deathly silent. Gray ran through the door alone realizing that Wolfe had disappeared once more. Afraid that he may have died in the blast, Gray pushed through the doorway. He was thankfully untouched by the blast except for a bit of singe marks on his jacket. He found his way through the next few small room rather fast even though he hadn't seen them before. 

The rooms soon brought him to a staircase which he climbed quickly, afraid that if he didn't hurry those things would find him before he found Jellal. This realization became true when he began to hear soft screeches from below him. Once at the top of the stairs he began to search around his new surroundings which were rather dark. Soon enough another one of the creatures appeared behind him. A curse flew past his lips as he began running down the hall with it not far behind. He shot at the locked door in front of him and when he reached it he flung it open. 

He threw the door shut right as the creature hit it. Gray was able to barricade the door, and began to look for a way out. There was a drop down in the floor, so he quickly threw himself into the hole, and when he looked back Wolfe was standing there. '' Come on buddy. Come on down.'' Gray encouraged. The wolf didn't move, and it instead walked away from the hole leaving Gray all alone. '' Catch you on the flip side huh?'' he said. Gray turned and ran down the metal walkway, realizing that it was the same one he had used a few hours ago when he had gotten inside the building. He found the front door to the building, but when he tried to pry it open it wouldn't move.

Soon the wendigo was on his tail again. His last option was at hand. There were a tone of the kerosene barrels behind the creature just waiting to be used. Just as the wendigo jumped at him he shot it, and then he shot the barrels. The explosion that followed had enough force in it to push Gray through the now broken doors of the sanatorium. He fell back on the snow banks, and when he looked to the now burning building he could see a bright orange spirit like thing whizzing off into the early morning sky.


	32. Chapter 32

Cana's mind was so fuzzy when she came to after so long. Her whole body was in pain, and whenever she tried to move it would pull at the deep cut marks on her chest, and legs. They were still slowly oozing blood, but not enough that she would die from blood loss. '' Oh God.'' she mumbled. She stood the best she could from the floor, and found that her legs hurt the worst to walk on. She had to limp slightly, telling her that her ankle may be sprained, or even broken. Her arms were freezing unlike the rest of her body. She still had her boots thankfully, so her feet weren't icicles yet. Her arms were bare though, so they felt ready to fall off at the slightest touch. 

Thank her luck however there was an old miners jacket of sorts lying out nearby. It felt like a god send to her, so she took it, and threw it around herself, ignoring the screams of pain her body gave her doing this action. She heard a screech coming from somewhere in the mines, and her heart sank with a bad feeling. Whatever was down here with her may be out for blood. Her blood. 

 

'' Come on guy's. We've gotta find Gray before it's too late.'' said Lucy. She turned back to the others with her head lamp still turned on to see Natsu leaning against a wall, Wendy by his side, and Erza in between them. '' Lucy. Natsu's not going to be able to walk for much longer. His legs going to give out before long.'' warned Wendy. '' Lucy. Maybe we should stop for a little bit.'' said Erza. '' We don't have that kind of time.'' said Lucy. 

'' It's no use guys. I'm gimping out here, just go on ahead. I'll catch up.'' said Natsu. '' No. Don't say that. We're not leaving you behind.'' said Wendy. '' Gray will just have to wait longer then hoped.'' said Erza. '' Right.'' he muttered. They had found their way into the tunnel after Lucy had read the man's journal. There had been notes in there about where he had been keeping the wendigos until now. They were worried that if he didn't know they may kill Gray. Why all of them had to go was a question in itself. Lucy felt if they all went then they'd stay safe, but the rest of them just saw it as a bigger target for them to find. 

The tunnel seemed much longer than the last time they had been inside it. Erza being the only one of them who hadn't entered the tunnel felt utterly lost, but thanks to The others help she figured her way around. Wendy could hear Natsu was panting slightly from the pain in his ankle as he tried to walk on it. She wasn't tall enough to act as a crutch for him, and the others seemed more worried about what was ahead of them. '' Wendy, how's Natsu doing?'' asked Lucy. '' Not good. We need to find a place to rest.'' said Wendy. The tables had turned, they were worried about their friend.

'' Look there.'' said Erza. Lucy looked up to shine her head lamp on a big metal door ahead of them. '' Yes. Jackpot.'' she said. The two ran up to the door, and tried to open it. '' Wendy. I need to sit down for a moment.'' Natsu said as he slid to the ground. '' Ok.'' she said. Wendy heard the door bouncing back and forth on its hinges, but never opening. '' What the hell? He locked us out.'' she said. '' Gray told us not to go after him remember. He must've locked it to keep us from doing so.'' said Erza. 

'' There's got to be another way around this.'' said Lucy. '' Maybe a.... ahh!'' Wendy tried to run over to the door, but tripped when her foot hit something round, and metal. She hit the ground with a thud, but thankfully didn't injure herself. '' Are you alright?'' asked Natsu. '' I'm fine. I tripped on the grate.'' she said. '' Wait.... Wendy, say that again?'' asked Lucy. '' I tripped on the sewage grate thingy right there....... oh.'' Wendy got at what Lucy was talking about. That could be their ticket to the other side of that door. '' Little blue you're a genius.'' said Erza, ruffling Wendy's matted blue hair. '' Natsu. Think you can help me lift this?'' asked Lucy. '' Yeah.'' 

Natsu maneuvered around the grate so he was facing Lucy from the other side. He found a metal pipe nearby that would serve perfectly for a lever. He got the grate up enough to slide a hand underneath it, and with Lucy's help they lifted it away. The set it down nearby, and peered into the darkened abyss below. '' Who's going down first?'' asked Lucy. '' You're the one who had the idea it would work, why don't you go first.'' suggested Wendy. '' Something tells me you're just saying that because you're afraid.'' said Lucy. '' Aren't we all?'' asked Erza. '' Alright. I'm going.'' she said. 

Lucy maneuvered around to the ladder, and began to climb down one pin at a time. When she reached the bottom she called up for the rest of them to start their way down. Erza was down the hole next, almost slipping off one of the cold pins before she hit the bottom. Wendy was next, going a little slower than the other from her small height. Natsu was last down, making sure the grate was pulled back over enough that the creature couldn't get to them if he had been able to enter the tunnel. 

This tunnel was much darker than the others, but that's what you get when you go down in something that was starting to look like it wasn't a sewer. The rest of the group, including Natsu surprisingly had managed to get ahead of Wendy when she had been distracted by a voice of sorts. It wasn't very loud, but it sounded rather familiar. '' Hello. Is someone there?'' she asked. The voice came through once more, this time sounding a little like someone was screaming for help. '' Cana, is that you?'' Wendy looked back to the path she was on, and decided to keep going in her current direction, but her mind was changed when the voice became clear enough to tell her this. '' Help me.'' 

Wendy immediately deviated from her current path, and began to make her way down this new section of tunnel. The voice became louder as she went, telling her whatever what ahead of her was either getting closer to her, or she was getting closer to it. Soon Wendy came across an open section of the cavity. There was an underground storage unit of sorts nearby, and something was banging on it from the other side. The voices had stopped as she approached it. Something in the pit of Wendy's stomach told her she shouldn't open it. So she trusted her gut, and left it shut. It didn't take her long to find a drop down, and hear voices that she knew all too well. 

Wendy jumped down, falling to her knees when she hit. It didn't hurt, but she did feel something embed into her skin when she hit. '' Ow..... That hurt.'' she muttered. '' Wendy?'' She looked up and her heart jumped for joy when she saw Lucy standing there. Erza wasn't far behind with Natsu. Wendy happened to look down and saw his splint was gone. He must've taken it off to give himself a little more movement. '' Are you ok?'' asked Lucy. '' Yeah, I'm just glad to see you guys.'' she said. 

Lucy outstretched a hand to her which she took to get herself up. '' We should keep going.'' she said. '' Right.'' The followed the tunnel the rest of the way until they came to a huge opening. '' Lucy, look there.'' said Wendy. '' Oh god, you've got to be kidding me.'' muttered Lucy. There was a spot that could lead them out of the tunnel above their heads, but the ladders to get to it had been broken off way above their heads. The metal was bent almost like something had torn it apart by hand. '' There's no way we can get up there. Natsu wouldn't be able to climb it even if we could.'' said Wendy. '' You guys can't, but maybe I can.'' said Lucy. 

''Are you crazy Lucy?'' asked Erza. '' It's the same as the rock wall we have to climb in gym. I'm going to keep going. Head back to the lodge, I'll get Gray.'' she said. '' Are you sure?'' asked Natsu. '' Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?'' to be honest though, she wasn't sure. For all she knew it was already too late for Gray. '' Ok. Good luck Lucy.'' said Wendy as she turned back with Erza, and Natsu. '' Don't need any luck.'' Lucy muttered under her breath. 

Lucy decided her best bet to get up there fast was by leaping to the top. She lunged off the first rock she placed her foot on, quickly grabbing a hold of one far above her head. She climbed a little further to grab onto a board that jutted out from the side of the rock face. She had a hold of it one second, the next it was crashing down to the floor. She still maintained a sturdy grip on the rock's however, so she never fell. Another leap, and some climbing later she was hoisting herself over the side of the rock face. '' Beat you, you stupid wall.'' she panted. Her hair drug around in her face, clinging to the sweat that surprisingly appeared even when it was this cold out. 

She found a set of stairs nearby that she climbed quickly to see what she could find. She only walked across a few boards before she heard something crashing down behind her. When she spun around she saw a bunch of rocks from the ceiling of the cavern go crashing down into the boards sending them to their deaths. '' Oh man. Guess there's no going back now.'' she muttered. She kept walking across the walkway lining the rock face, noticing a deep tremor in the ground every now and then. Thoughts began to swarm her mind about the cavern caving in on her, making it impossible for her to escape with her life. When she reached the walkway she found there was a shrine of sorts, much like the one Gray and Cana had stumbled upon. 

She turned back to head down another direction that was open for her to take, only encounter more falling rocks. She held onto the beams on either side of the walkway as the rocks fell, and demolished the walkway in front of her. At first she thought that was the end, and she was trapped, but it wasn't. There was enough space between her, and the other walkway that if she jumped she could make it. She took the risk, and jumped. She made the jump in tact, and looked back to see the rocks had stopped falling. 

she kept going down the walkway, hearing a scream behind her that resembled a female. Lucy didn't know what could've caused it, so she quickly armed herself with a metal beam from nearby. There was a metal door up ahead that had some sort of noise coming from the other side. It sounded like someone was on the other side, so she took the drop down right before the door, and decided to approach it. Before she was even within a few feet of the door it was flying open as curses filled her ears. '' STAY OUT OF HERE! STAY AWAY!'' Gray flew through the door, and tried to close it on something that was glowing bright red, and orange. It looked like one of the wendigos, and from the way Gray was acting it must've been out for the kill. 

It was able to throw the door open which knocked Gray flat on his back, and jumped on top of him. '' GRAY! OH GOD!'' She screamed. Lucy ran up to the creature, and smacked it upside the head with the pipe. It flew to one side, but it's grip never let up on Gray's jacket. '' GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU FREAK!'' she yelled. Another hit from the pipe and the creatures head was sent bouncing off the walls. Literally, it few right off the body as it went limp. Gray threw the door shut, and bent over letting fast breaths past by his lips. '' Are you alright Lucy?'' he asked. '' Define alright.'' she said. 

'' Alive for starters.'' he said. '' Yeah, alive is good.'' she panted. '' What are you doing down her anyway. I told you guys to stay put.'' said Gray. '' I was going to warn you about the wendigos.'' she said. '' I already know.'' he said. '' Now that we're together let's try to find a way down to where this thing lives.'' said Gray.


	33. Chapter 33

'' I wasn't prepared for how ugly those things look.'' said Lucy. '' They're even worse up close like that.'' he said. '' Although I noticed something kind of weird about it.'' said Gray. '' What?'' '' The wendigo, it had a scar.'' he said. '' So?'' '' I've seen it before. He was a guy who had transformed into a wendigo.'' he explained. '' You're kidding right?'' asked Lucy. '' No, he was one of the miners who'd been trapped here in the 50's from the cave in.'' he said. '' That thing has to be around 80 years old by now.'' he added. '' A bit spunky for an old timer.'' stated Lucy. '' Those things cleaned the place out, killed a lot of people.'' he said. '' They?'' 

'' There are more of them.'' said Gray. '' How many?'' asked Lucy. '' To many.'' he said. '' I think we're getting closer to its lair.'' said Lucy. How can you tell?'' asked Gray. '' It's kind of hard to say. I just... feel really terrible all of a sudden.'' she said. '' Ditto.'' he said. They walked through the shaft in silence, trying to get some sort of bearings on exactly where they were. There was a drop down that went into a bunch of water nearby, and neither one of them were ready for that so they searched around the area first. Lucy had stumbled upon what looked like a grave of sorts. It was dug up for some reason, and sitting next it was an item that made her heart ache.

Ultears watch was sitting on the dirt next to the hole. This had been her grave. '' Gray, I found something.'' said Lucy. '' What is it?'' he asked, walking up to her. '' This is Ultears.... I think someone buried her here.'' said Lucy, handing the watch over to Gray. '' Yeah. This was definitely hers, and look there. There was a cross or something there.'' he said, pointing to the hole above the grave. '' So the question is, who dug her up?'' said Lucy. '' We should keep moving.'' said Gray. 

They decided there was no other way around it, and went for the water. It was freezing cold when they landed in it, and it wasn't long before they both realized their feet, and hands were starting to feel numb. Gray lead the way through the water, and realized that it only went deeper, and deeper. '' Gray, why's it going deeper?'' asked Lucy. '' I never said it wasn't going to, and I have to clue as to why.'' he said. Once they were across the water they found a place to hoist themselves up and out of the water. Their teeth were chattering away at this point, and Lucy was shivering in her thin clothing she had on. 

'' Lucy, there's a notebook over there.'' said Gray. '' Are you serious?'' Lucy was on her feet, and kneeling in front if the notebook in seconds. It was filled with Melody's hand writing. '' What does it say?'' asked Gray. Lucy picked up the book, and began to read it. 

My sister is dead, the fall killed her. I could see the color drain from her face. My leg is broken, and I'm all alone stuck here with no escape. (flip)  
I've never been so hungry. I feels as if my stomach is twisting around my insides. I took my sisters sweater, I'm much warmer now. I feel like she's still looking out for me.(flip)  
I'm so sorry Ultear, I had no other choice, I was dying. It was the only way I can survive anymore. If someone finds this I'm sorry, I had no choice.(flip)  
My hands feel unclean. My nails fell off, completely torn from their roots. I'm aching, but there's no more cold, no more pain. I'm getting stronger. 

The next page was full of large lettering that all read one word. '' Hunger.'' '' Oh God.'' Lucy mumbled. '' It all makes sense.'' '' What does Lucy?'' he asked. '' Melody dug her up. She did it.'' said Lucy. '' That's ridiculous Lucy.'' said Gray. '' Gray, it has to be. It's the only thing that makes sense. Ultear died in the fall.'' she said. '' So what does that mean?'' '' So Melody must've buried her.'' said Lucy. '' She was down here, she would've been starving for weeks..... She would've been desperate. That's why we need to find Jellal. Right now.'' said Lucy. '' Right.'' 

They jumped into the water, and started their track towards another spot they could jump up to. The water was deep enough on Lucy when they walked to it that it could brush against her neck, and was snaking its way up her hair. They made the jump to get to the dry ground, which only splashed more water around soaking Lucy's hair even further. '' You alright?'' asked Gray. '' Yeah. Let's just go alright.'' said Lucy. There was a door nearby that they both thought lead to that creatures home, so they opened it. What they didn't expect to come out however was a bunch of water, and a rotting head. Both of them screamed as the head rolled around in the water before flying off the edge to the lake like body bellow. 

'' Jeez. What the hell was that?'' asked Lucy. '' If you really couldn't tell it was a head.'' said Gray. They recovered from the shock, and went through the door. What they found explained why there had been a head before. There were bodies hanging from all kinds of things above their heads. One was unmistakably the man that had tried to help them. '' Oh god no.'' Lucy felt her legs begin to wobble as a gag surfaced from her mouth. '' I think I'm gonna be sick.'' said Gray. '' This is terrible.'' said Lucy. '' Hold on a second. I think I see something.'' said Gray. '' What is it?'' '' Just come here. Take a look.'' said Gray. 

Lucy walked over to the boards he was looking through, and sure enough something was there. Jellal was on the other side of the boards. He was mumbling something about not taking orders from someone who wasn't even there. '' We found him.'' she muttered. '' Yeah, now we need to get to him.'' said Gray. His luck began to show once more when he found a door leading straight to where he was. They ran through, and ran straight up to Jellal. '' Hey, Jellal.'' yelled Gray. '' YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO ANYMORE! YOU CAN'T!'' Jellal screamed. 

'' Jellal, buddy it's us.'' said Gray. '' GET AWAY FROM ME! OK.... Ok.... I can't trust you anymore. I don't have to listen to you anymore.'' he began ranting about something strange under him breath, and the two of them took the moment to approach him. '' Jellal. Hey man. Wake up.'' said Gray. He was still mumbling stuff under his breath. '' Gray, what's he talking about?'' asked Lucy. '' I have no idea. Hey, Jellal. Snap out of it man.'' Gray suddenly brought a hand across his face, and a second later Jellal was blinking and active towards them. 

'' Jellal. Hey man.'' he said. '' Don't... Don't hit me p-please.'' Jellal begged. '' Sorry about that man. It looked like the only way to wake you up.'' said Gray. '' I thought for a second there you were lost for good.'' said Lucy. '' I'm sorry.... I t-think I'm good.'' he said, not sounding sure at all about it. '' Jellal, do you have the key to the cable car?'' asked Gray. '' Uh..... Yeah... I have it.. Here.'' Jella reached into his pocket, and found the key which he handed over to Lucy. She took it in her hands with a small cry of happiness under her breath. 

'' Ok. See that there?'' asked Lucy, pointing to the light coming through the ceiling. '' Yeah.'' the boys said. '' That's our ticket out of here. It's a direct way out, come on.'' she said. The boys followed her with no questions asked. When they made it to the spot Gray began to curse under his breath. '' What's the matter Gray?'' asked Lucy. '' There's no way Jellal can climb that in his state, even if he's alert right now.'' said Gray. '' Ok then. Plan B. I'll go back through this way, and tell the others you're all ok. You try to find another way back.'' said Lucy. '' Roger that.'' Lucy turned to the rock, and asked for a quick lift from Gray. 

He cupped his hands and let her step up from them to where she could get a good grip on the rocks. '' Alright, let's get going you freaking weirdo.'' said Gray. As they were walking Jellal tried his best to bring up a topic to talk about. '' You.... You didn't have to hit me so much.'' he said. '' Yeah.. Sorry about that man, I thought you were the one who killed Cana.'' said Gray. '' I understand now that I was wrong, you were right.'' '' Told you.'' said Jellal. 

Gray made his way back through the rooms he and Lucy had used to get to Jellal, leading him back to the body of water. Jellal followed like an obedient dog, not losing sight of Gray for even a second as they went. When they got to the water he jumped down in with Gray, and they began to wade their way to the other side. Little did they know something was watching them from afar, and only it could see them. It felt like going after them to steel back its prize, but it didn't want to. That would come at a later time, when everyone was together once again


	34. Chapter 34

Loke jumped down to the floor of the tunnel with a thud. He had been roaming around the tunnels for what felt like forever, trying to find a way out of the mines. His shoulder was killing him, but thankfully the wound had stopped bleeding by then. There was a lantern sitting on a nearby table with a lighter next to it. He felt like he'd struck gold, and quickly lighted the object to illuminate his surroundings. He held the light up, and was suddenly thrown back as white hot pain struck his head. 

The sound of metal making contact with something followed, and the next thing he knew Cana was calling out his name. '' Loke. Please tell me you're alright.'' His ears rung terribly, and he could already feel blood starting to soak the side of his head. She had managed to make a deep cut from the top of his right ear to his hairline above his eye with a shovel. The ringing soon went away, and he began to see straight again. '' Are you alright. I swear I didn't mean it.'' she said, pain emanating from her quivering voice. '' Define Ok.'' he simply said. His head was still spinning slightly, but he pushed past it to deal with what he saw in front of him. 

Cana was wearing what looked like an old miners jacket over the clothes she had brought. Her chest was cut open in spots revealing blood that was slowly still oozing from where she had been moving. Her stomach had cuts on it from where her t-shirt had been ripped apart like paper. '' Cana. What the hell happened to you?'' he asked. '' How are you still alive?'' '' Yeah. '' She mumbled. '' Cana, how'd you even get down here?'' asked Loke. '' Gray and I we were..... We were goofing off, and then.... it was... it ...we.'' '' What?'' '' I don't know. I was by the window, and there was all this glass, and..... It was dragging me in the snow... It was.... it was moving so damn fast.....'' Loke's heart went out to the poor girl. She had no clue what was going on up here on the mountain. 

Then again he didn't have much of a clue either. All he knew was that a creature of sorts tried to drag him to his death, and would've succeeded if he hadn't shot it with the flare gun. '' Cana. I think there's something up here in the mountain. I don't know what it is, but it's not friendly I can say that much.'' Loke informed her. '' Oh God, Loke it hurts.'' she mumbled. Her face scrunched in pain as she bent forward slightly. '' Can you still move?'' he asked. '' Yeah.'' 

'' Then we should go. Come on Cana.'' Loke held the light up in front of them, and they started down the tunnel. There was a light on nearby that looked to be the way that he had to go, so he followed it. It took him towards a track made for the mine carts that were out of commission. There was another light to his right, which he went towards without a second guess. Every now and then he'd look back to Cana to see how she was doing. She wasn't looking to good. She was breathing heavily from blood loss, or a concussion. Either way she wasn't good for wear. 

There was a smaller tunnel entrance nearby, and he decided to lead her into it in hopes of finding a way out through there. As they went he began to hear the screeches of some creature that sounded like it was looking for something, or someone. The screech was the same as when he'd shot the creature that had taken him deeper into the mines, so it sent a chill down Loke's spine. '' Are you ok Loke?'' Cana asked. '' Don't worry about me Cana. Worry about yourself.'' said Loke. He suddenly jumped when the screech was so loud it sounded like it was right next to him. 

Loke let a gasp pass his lips, and Cana begna to back away from where he was looking. '' Loke?'' '' Cana, quick, this way.'' he said. Loke guided Cana inside what looked like a suitable hiding spot, and jumped in after her. Cana pressed her back to Loke's side as something began to move around behind them. They both stayed as silent as they could, hoping the thing didn't hear them. When it looked like the cost was clear Loke peered out to see if it was safe. When he looked back however she was starting to fall over. '' Cana.'' Loke lunged his arms out, and caught her before she could fall to the floor. She cried out in pain by whimpering quietly. '' Oh god it hurts.'' she whispered. '' We've got to go. Now.'' said Loke. 

When the cost was clear he began to guide Cana away from the room, and looked for the closest way to get out of the tunnel. '' Come on Cana, stay close. We can do this.'' Grays vision began to blur in and out of focus as he walked. The hit from before was finally starting to take effect in him. He had a concussion, just like Cana had to have. '' We're going to make it Cana, just stay close.'' Loke ran ahead a little, stopping to look back for Cana who was trying her best to keep up. However the wendigo was right at her heels. '' Cana, come on.'' Loke found a boarded up section of the wall that lead to the outside. It was their best hiding spot at this point. 

He broke the boards with one swift hit, almost sending himself over the ledge outside in the process. Cana had pulled him back by the hood of his parka, and then hid beside him against the wall. They both saw the creature jump out onto the snowy slope of the ledge. It looked all around, but never noticed them. They watched as it let out a tremendously loud cry before retreating back inside the mines. Cana let out a deep sigh as a sob racked her body. '' We made it.'' she cried. '' We made it until dawn.'' Loke said, pointing out the skylight peeking over the horizon. They'd made it out, but what about the rest of them? 

 

 

Lucy had managed to climb the rest of the way to the top of the cliff with only minor injuries. Her left leg was cut up along the back from hitting a rock with it, and her hands were a little scraped up, besides that she was good, and dandy. The path back to the lodge was laid out right in front of her, and she didn't waste a beat in following it. The others had to be back there by now, so she had to hurry. every now and then the screeching of the wendigo would fill her ears, however it was distant so she wasn't too worried about it. She could hopefully get back to the lodge before it could find her. 

The path was a little more dark than she had hoped even with her head lamp, and being out in the open. She had stumbled across a part of the path she had to wade through water to get across. It wasn't anything new to her. She simply jumped down and made her way through the water. It was much colder than what was in the mines, but it wasn't too bad. When she got out on the other side she didn't waste time getting back to a slight jog to make it to the lodge. Her partially frozen hair stuck to her face, neck, and back as she went. What she didn't see was a drop down ahead of her, which she slid into, and fell. 

The fall made her dizzy, and she felt her ankle twist under her, but there was no damage. She got up, and walked past what looked to be the shed for the lodge, that's when she heard it. The wendigos screech's were getting closer to her, so she sprinted towards the lodge. Her lungs burned as she sucked in breath after breath of cold air. Lucy didn't dare to look behind her, afraid that if she did the thing would be waiting there for her. 

She took the same path Natsu had used when he'd run back after seeing the man die at the hands of the wendigo, and it brought her straight to the lodges back door. She tried to open the door, but it was still locked from the inside. She thought the others may be inside so she began yelling for them. '' HEY! OPEN UP!CAN YOU HERE ME!?'' She yelled. She shook the handle around to see if it would budge any, but to no avail. '' LET ME IN, PLEASE!'' Lucy begged. '' Lucy!'' 

She gasped as she spun around to see Gray, and Jellal standing behind her. '' Gray, Jellal. You're both ok.'' she said. '' We won't be for long if we don't get inside.'' said Gray. '' Open the door. I don't have the key.'' said Jellal. '' Right.'' Lucy looked around for something to break it with, and found a good sized rock nearby. She held it in one hand, and thrust it against one of the glass panels. It broke away easily, and she was able to slide a hand through to unlock the door from the inside. Once in Gray turned and shut the door. '' What now?'' asked Jellal, rubbing his still bear arms for warmth. '' We check the basement. They might be down there still.'' said Gray. '' Understood.'' said Lucy.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than the rest, and half of it was changed from the original game because it seemed better that way. I hope you enjoyed reading my story, and I will have new works posted soon.

Lucy followed Gray down to the basement followed by Jellal who stuck close to them because he couldn't trust his own mind quite yet. The adrenalin from wadding through the cold water had been pretty good about waking him up from his delusions, but he still felt as if they'd return at a moment's notice. '' How do you rate our chances of survival?'' asked Lucy. '' I'd rather not think about that right now.'' said Gray. '' Me neither.'' said Jellal, flashing Lucy a small smile. At least he could still act like thing swear sort of normal. Lucy made a promise to herself to help get Jellal proper help when this was all said and done. 

There was a sudden scream coming from the door across from them, and soon they saw Natsu come barreling through with Wendy and Erza hot on his tale. He was clearly still limping, but the adrenalin was keeping him from feeling the pain. '' RUN! GO, GET MOVING!'' screamed Wendy. '' Guys?'' '' IT'S AFTER US. GO, GO, GO!'' yelled Natsu. Gray, and Jellal ran after them, and Lucy looked back to see that there was a wendigo in the hallway. '' OH GOD!'' She lunged at the door, and threw it shut before making a beeline for the stairs. 

She ran up the stairs, and ran in between both Gray, and Natsu who were stiff as boards. Erza was on the other side of Gray, staring up at something above their heads. '' Lucy, don't move.'' warned Natsu. A loud cracking noise later, and she saw the reason why everyone was frozen where they stood. There were two large wendigos hanging from the ceiling chandelier. They were crying out at each other, almost like they were afraid, or ready to kill. Lucy watched as they jumped around above their heads, one landing on the ground nearby. '' Where's Jellal?'' whispered Lucy. '' He got out with Wendy. It's just us four.'' said Gray. '' Good.'' 

Suddenly a third wendigo popped up from the basement. It must've gotten through with the other two when she wasn't paying attention. They all began to fight one another. One blow to the third creature almost swiped Erza off her feet, but she stood firm. The tallest of the three grabbed one by its leg, and flung it towards the fire place. It hit with a loud cracking noise, and stopped moving as a gas pipe nearby burst letting gaseous formed gas into the air. Gray looked towards Lucy for a second telling her through his eyes he had a plan. She slightly nodded only enough for him to see as he began to inch towards his right. There was a light fixture on the wall. If he could break the bulb in it without breaking the cord inside then flip the switch and it's a huge house bomb. 

Erza saw his plan, and began to inch in the same direction to help. The wendigos brawling kept them from seeing the two as they reached the light fixture. The fight was intense, leaving furniture destroyed, and steps shattered to wooden shards. Soon enough the tallest of them had literally ripped the head off of one of the three killing it, or at least they thought it was dead. Lucy had made one small step towards the light switch behind her which Natsu had as well, which only got the creatures attention. It stood on two legs as it approached the two of them. 

It had gotten rather close to Lucy, and that alone made her heart start skipping beats while Natsu could only watch in horror as the creature neared his friend. Gray and Erza were able to break the light bulbs keeping at least one of the cords intact, but also alerted the creature to their presence. It slowly made its way towards them, making the two go rigid as it got closer and closer. Lucy, and Natsu eyed each other with one thought in mind. They had to save them. '' Hey!'' Lucy called out. The thing shrieked at her as it began to approach her. 

Natsu moved around the other side of the creature out of its line of sight. He had a huge bar in hand from one of the broken pieces of furniture, and if that thing tried to hit Lucy, he'd hit it. '' Erza, go now.'' said Gray. Lucy watched as Erza took off towards the door as fast as her legs would go. the creature never noticed, and she was thankful for that. Gray went next, leaving her, and Natsu as the only ones left. When the creature was close enough to Lucy's face she could smell rotting flesh from the creatures last meal. It was horrible. 

It suddenly tried to reach a hand out to her. It went straight for Lucy's neck, but Natsu saw this coming. '' NO!'' He brought the bar down on the creatures back, alerting it to his presence. The creature simply spun around to face him, and before Lucy could respond to what he had done Natsu was falling back as the wendigos sharp claws ripped at his chest. Blood flew from the claws as Natsu fell back to the floor, curling in on himself as a loud scream of pain passed his lips. '' NATSU!'' The creature had heard Lucy scream, and had turned its attention on her. It didn't stay on her for long however because soon the third wendigo appeared again, and had tackled the taller creature to the ground. 

'' Natsu! We've gotta go.'' said Lucy. She wound a hand up under Natsu's arm, and literally began to drag him away from the fight. One of the wendigos had seen them, and tried to chase after the now running teens. Lucy had to thank the third smaller wendigo for tackling the larger one before it could attack her. When she, and Natsu ran past the door she flipped the switch, and the house blew. The wendigos cried out in pain as they blew up in the flames of the fire. Natsu, and Lucy were blown forward from the blast, landing a few feet away from the others who were all sitting on the ground panting, or laughing in joy for their survival. 

Gray ran over to Lucy, and Natsu immediately, turning them over only to gasp when he saw Natsu's wound. '' Oh god, Natsu.'' Lucy looked up from the snow to see her friend was panting in pain, and blood was soaking the front of his jacket, and coat. There was no blood coming from his mouth, telling them that the wendigo didn't damage his lungs. Lucy could hear soft sobbing behind her, and when she looked back she saw Wendy with her face hidden against Jellal's chest. She was crying because she couldn't do anything to help her friend, and Jellal looked ready to start bawling as well because it was partially his fault that all this had happened. 

'' Natsu. Say something. Can you hear me?'' asked Gray. Natsu only groaned in pain as he tried to sit up. '' That hurt, a lot.'' he muttered. '' Don't sit up, You'll hurt yourself.'' said Gray, pushing Natsu's back against the snow. Gray pulled his hands back to see that his blood was coating his palms, and he almost felt his stomach lose what was left in it. '' Natsu, we need to stop the bleeding.'' said Lucy. She took her jacket off leaving her arms bare with only the warmth of a t-shirt, and rolled it up. '' Deep breath now.'' she said. She pressed the blue jacket against his chest, and Natsu hissed in pain for a moment before letting out a loud cry of pain. '' I know it hurts Natsu. Just bare with it.'' said Lucy. '' Guy's look there.'' said Erza. 

Everyone looked up towards what looked like whirling blades above their heads. It was the rescue crew. '' Erza, do you have a flare still?'' asked Gray. '' Yeah. Hold on.'' Erza dug around in the bag around her shoulder, and pulled out the last flare she had from the man. The top was twisted off, and she began waving it around to get the helicopters attention. '' Natsu. Helps arrived.'' said Lucy. '' You're acting like I'm going to die.'' said Natsu, pain showing clearly in his voice. '' If we let you bleed out you could.'' said Lucy. 

'' We have a visual on the structure. It's a total loss. I'm picking up something bellow, I count six survivors.'' '' Let's pick 'em up.'' 

 

 

Everyone sat in the small waiting room of the police station. No one had talked since they'd been brought back from their interviews. Natsu, and Cana had been carted off to have their wounds looked at by someone before they could be taken to a hospital. Lucy sat across the room with Gray, both of them looking to the other side where Erza sat with Wendy, and Loke. Jellal was still talking with the police, and it was uncertain what they were going to do about the prank. At this point everyone had forgiven him because what he did was nothing compared to what the wendigos did. 

Wendy was laying out on the chairs like they were a bed, a blanket draped over her shoulders while her head sat in Erza's lap. The red head was slowly petting Wendy's hair to keep her calm because she was still terrified from the whole experience. Loke sat next to Erza, a blanket draped over one of his shoulders while the other end was draped over hers. Gray, who was a few seats down from Lucy was leaning into the wall, his eyes shut in fatigue as short snores burst from his throat every now and then. Lucy was surprised no one else but him, and Wendy were asleep. She was also surprised that they hadn't taken Loke back to check his head from where he'd been hit with a shovel. 

Every few seconds she'd see his head bob around like a doll, telling her that he was going to pass out sooner or later if not by will. '' What's going to happen now?'' asked Erza. Lucy looked up to her friend to see she was looking up at her. '' Hard to say. We should get to a hospital to get checked out soon.'' said Lucy. '' I know that much already, but what about the events we went through. what are we going to do about those?'' she asked. '' We try to forget. It's the only way I see it.'' said Loke. '' That's going to be hard. I'll be seeing nightmares for a long time.'' said Erza. 

'' What are we going to forget?'' Lucy, Erza, and Loke looked up towards the hall and saw Natsu, and Cana wobbling in towards them. Cana had bandages all over her face, chest, and arms. Natsu had bandages wrapped tightly around his chest, and temple. His shirt was torn right through in the front letting the bandages be seen by all. '' They want to see you next Loke. Said something about checking your head.'' said Natsu, pointing to his own head where Loke's wound would've been. '' Right.'' The threw the blanket off himself, and walked back towards where they'd been on unsteady legs. 

'' What's the prognosis?'' asked Lucy. '' Broken ankle more or less for me. Slight concussion, and twisted leg for Cana.'' said Natsu, finding a seat next to Lucy. Cana sat be Gray, leaning against the wall. '' If nobody minds I'm taking a nap.'' she said. '' Go ahead.'' said Lucy. Cana closed her eyes, and the room fell silent once more. A few minutes later Jellal came back into the room, blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and pill bottles in his hands. 

'' What's up with those?'' asked Natsu. '' They're my meds. Better start taking them again if I want to still be friends with you right?'' Jellal sat next to Erza, who never made a move to push him away. By now everyone knew that Jellal hadn't been right in the head, and the prank had been his mind telling him that it was right. He knew now at least that he was wrong. '' Are you feeling ok?'' asked Lucy. '' I'm fine now. The meds are helping, my head feels clearer than earlier. That much I can say at least.'' he said. '' That's good.'' 

Soon a police officer returned to the room with Loke who's head was all wrapped up, and an Ice pack placed to it. '' Listen up. I don't know what you kids saw up there. All I can say is that we aren't going to press charges. You're free to go. One of our officers will take you to the hospital at the bottom of the mountain, and you can leave from there.'' the officer explained. '' Thank you.'' said Lucy. When the man left everyone felt a pressure they never noticed before leave their chests. They'd all survived a true hell on that mountain. Everyone made a vow there to always have each other's backs, and keep in touch as much as possible. Lucy looked towards the window where the morning sun shone through brightly. The sun filled her with a happiness she hadn't felt in almost a year. Both her friends were now at rest, and their brother was on the road to a full recovery. They'd survived until dawn.


End file.
